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IRON HEAD; 

OR, 

AN OLD SOLDIER’S STORY 

OF , 

CHARLES XII., KING OF SWEDEN. 

Jrom tlje German of 

FRANZ HOFFMANN, 

BY 


M. A. MANDERSON. 

>1 



PHILADELPHIA: 

LUTHERAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION, 

42 North Ninth Street. 

1871. 


t-z-T 


Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, by the 
LUTHERAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION, 

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 


\ 


Wkstcott & Thomson, 
Stereotypers, Philada. 


Caxton Press of 

Sherman & Co«, Philadelphia. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER I. 

PAGE 

THE LIGHTHOUSE 9 

CHAPTER II. 

COPENHAGEN.— NARVA.— PEACE OF ALTRANSTADT 30 

CHAPTER HI. 


POLTAVA AND BENDER 91 

CHAPTER IV. 

% 

THE LAST STRUGGLE 163 

I ♦ 


5 



“ On what foundation stands the warrior's pride ! 

How just his hopes, let Swedish Charles decide ; 

A frame of adamant, a soul of fire. 

No dangers fright him, and no labours tire; 

O’er love, o’er fear, extends his wide domain. 
Unconquer’d lord of pleasure and of pain ; 

No joys to him pacific sceptres yield. 

War sounds the trump, he rushes to the field; 

Behold surrounding kings their power combine. 

And one capitulate, and one resign ; 

Peace courts his hand, but spreads her charms in vain 
‘ Think nothing gain'd,' he cries, * till naught remain. 
On Moscow’s walls till Gothic standards fly. 

And all be mine beneath the polar sky,' 

The march begins in military state. 

And nations on his eye suspended wait ; 

Stern Famine guards the solitary coast. 

And Winter barricades the realm of Frost ; 

He comes, nor want nor cold his course delay ; 

Hide, blushing Glory, hide Pultowa’s day ! 

The vanquish’d hero leaves his broken bands. 

And shows his miseries in distant lands ; 

Condemn’d a needy supplicant to wait 
While ladies interpose and slaves debate. 

But did not Chance at length her error mend? 

Did no subverted empire mark his end? 

Did rival monarchs give the fatal wound. 

Or hostile millions press him to the ground? 

His fall was destined to a barren strand, 

A petty fortress and a dubious hand ; 

He left a name, at which the world grew pale. 

To point a moral or adorn a tale !" 


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The Iron Head 


CHAPTER I. 

THE LIGHTHOUSE. 

PON the western coast of Sweden, di- 



rectly opposite to the most northernly 
point of Denmark, from which it is separated 
by the Skager Rack, lies upon a rocky island 
the little town of Marstrand, in which, upon 
a considerable elevation, is situated the strong 
fortress of Karlstein, whose lighthouse for 
many a long year has poured its clear glow 
over the dark and stormy sea, warning the 
watchful mariner from the rocks and sands 


9 


10 


THE IRON HEAD. 


of this difficult and dangerous coast For 
more than a hundred years its beacon-light 
has beamed nightly down from the high cliff 
far out over the waters, defying the rage and 
violence of the heaving billows, which in 
foaming breakers dash powerlessly against its 
immovable and rugged base. 

And more than one hundred years ago, 
one evening about twilight, the trusty old 
warder, Richard Roos, was seen at the door 
of his small stone house, which lay close 
against the tower. His duty it was to kindle 
and feed the great coal-fire and give signals 
of alarm if help was required by a vessel in 
need. He had occupied this post for many 
a year, and hoped to retain it as long as 
he lived. 

Approaching the edge of the rock, he anx- 
iously scanned for a moment the heavens, 
then directed his gaze upon the turbulent 
waves of the sea, which extended boundlessly 


THE LIGHTHOUSE. II 

before him, blending in the far distance with 
the horizon. The old man shook his gray 
head apprehensively as he marked still further 
prognostications of an imminent tempest. 

Bad enough does it look out there to the 
north-west,” murmured the warder half aloud. 
“ The sun has gone down in red vapor, and 
there brews a storm, methinks, that will prove 
fatal to many a poor mariner this wild and 
tempestuous night. God have mercy upon 
their souls ! I must spy if perchance a ship 
is in sight.” 

Drawing a telescope from his pocket and 
adjusting it to his eye, he scanned the hori- 
zon slowly and carefully ; his tall, gaunt but 
stalwart form proving that, although Time 
had left his trace in the honest bronzed face, 
his vigor and health still remained untouched. 
Firm and rugged he stood as the rock be- 
neath him, while the old-fashioned dark-blue 
uniform, with its bright copper buttons, fitting 


12 


THE IRON HEAD. 


closely his stalwart martial figure, and the 
three-cornered hat that covered his gray locks, 
indicated that in his earlier years he had 
fought under the banner of his Fatherland. 

A heavy black mustache, which also had 
defied the ravages of time, shaded his lips, 
imparting to him a fierce appearance, miti- 
gated considerably, however, by the kindly 
blue eye, which, although penetrative and 
sharp, had also in its clear depths something 
peculiarily child-like and benevolent. Stern 
yet gentle, the old warder was loved by all 
who knew him ; the little children of Mar- 
strand feared not his bronzed face and fierce 
mustache, but gathered confidingly around 
him as he now and then came down from his 
rocky height to purchase the little stores ne- 
cessary for his tower home. Particularly was 
he a favorite among the youths of the town, - 
who esteemed no favor so great as to be per- 
mitted to visit Fortress Karlstein and spend a 


THE LIGHTHOUSE. I3 

full afternoon with the old warder, who would 
often relate to his eager and attentive listeners 
stories of his soldier-life under the bold and 
reckless Charles XIL of Sweden. Numberless 
were the incidents of the king’s bravery, bat- 
tles and victories, of his stubborn, self-willed 
obduracy and the manifold misfortunes that 
befell that head of steel. The old soldier was 
enthusiastic in describing the courage and 
daring of his commander and king, and al- 
ways defended him warmly when others rep- 
robated his reckless and intractable course, 
although his love of truth would not suffer 
him to prevaricate or pass by without cen- 
sure his many failings. I dare find fault 
with him,” would the old man say, “for I 
have done so times without number to the 
‘Invincible’ himself, although I must confess, 
my courage has well-nigh quailed before one 
glance of his flashing hero eye, for a hero he 

was : his bitterest enemies admitted this, even 
2 


14 


THE IRON HEAD. 


in their defeat and humiliation ; only his head 
of steel ! his head of steel ! It brought not 
only upon him, but upon our loved Father- 
land, manifold and fearful misfortunes ; ^ it laid 
a snare for him in the ground and a trap for 
him in the way.’ Even though I loved him, 
God forbid that I should justify him. Mark 
you, boys !” would the old man say ; “ ‘ hear 
counsel and receive instruction that you may 
be wise.’ ^ He that hath a froward heart find- 
eth no good ; the Lord giveth wisdorp : out 
of his mouth cometh knowledge and under- 
standing.’ ” 

Upon the day of which we speak the 
warder stood upon the edge of the cliff over- 
looking the boisterous waters. After a long 
and searching gaze he discovered several far- 
distant sail, which, like white specks, emerged 
on the extreme verge of the north sea. 

Poor fellows ! poor fellows !” murmured 
he again ; you will pass a frightful eve, and 


THE LIGHTHOUSE. I5 

a still worse night, I fear. Not one half hour 
more will pass until a storm-blast will come 
that will drive you straight upon our danger- 
ous rocks. See ! see ! it strikes them even 
now ! The ship is driving fast : they take 
in sail . Brave, watchful mariners, God be 
with you in this heavy hour !” 

well-timed wish, father Roos !” said 
the sonorous voice of a tall, powerful man in 
colonel’s uniform, who, accompanied by a lad, 
had approached the old man unobserved and 
heard his fervent prayer. Wheeling quickly 
around, and stretching himself up to his full 
height, the warder touched with his right 
hand his three-cornered hat, and said, re- 
spectfully, 

I wish you good evening. Colonel Sparre. 
What has led you out of the fortress at this 
hour? I would advise you to beat a hasty 
retreat, for within a few moments a storm 
will burst upon us that will not only render 


l6 THE IRON HEAD. 

your uniform unfit for service, but will wet 
you to the skin.” 

That were no great mishap, warder,” said 
the colonel, laughing; “nevertheless, I see you 
are right in your presages, and will not delay, 
but at once take some special precautions in 
the harbor. Do you seriously think that the 
ship we see in the distance is in danger ?” 

“ If He who ruleth the raging of the sea 
be not with them, colonel,” answered the old 
man, reverently. “You know I understand 
some little about the weather : my life in yon 
tower these twenty years has been of some 
little service to me in this respect. It will be 
a bad night, and you will do well to order the 
pilots and fishermen on guard. There ! see, 
the first drops are falling. I would advise you 
either to take shelter in my room, colonel, or 
hasten to the protection of the fortress.” 

“ I cannot tarry longer, warder,” said Colo- 
nel Sparre, the fortress and harbor command- 


THE LIGHTHOUSE. 


17 


ant of Marstrand, directing at the same time 
a last searching look toward the threaten- 
ing sky, which was now overcast with heavy 
clouds, while a hollow roaring from the dis- 
tance and the violent upheaving of the tumult- 
uous waves at the base of the cliff were sure 
precursors of the rapidly-approaching storm. 
“ I cannot stay : my post is below, where my 
precautions and advice are most needed. But 
my son Olav can remain if you desire it, Roos, 
and I will send you also one or two lads from 
the fortress, whom you can employ as adju- 
tants in case it should be necessary to send 
me a despatch. You can see far more upon 
this elevation than we in the harbor, and be- 
sides, some assistance upon such a night will 
not prove unwelcome. They can at least 
carry coal for you to feed the fire. Do you 
hear, Olav? you stay with Roos, and I will 
send up to the tower your comrades Elfdal 

and Ronne. You three, I know, would enjoy 
2 * B 


l8 THE IRON HEAD. 

nothing better than a few hours in the light- 
house with the warder.” 

“ And they are heartily welcome by day or 
by night/’ said the old man, cordially extend- 
ing his hand to the young cadet, a youth of 
some fifteen or sixteen years. “ They are 
brave, manly lads, Colonel Sparre, and your 
son is not the least among them. But do 
you stay willingly, Olav ?” 

What a question, warder Roos !” cried the 
boy, pressing the old man’s hand with youth- 
ful ardor. “We are always glad for any ex- 
cuse to stay with you, particularly when you 
tell us about old times ; and as in all probability 
we will have the night before us, and dare not 
sleep at our post, I hope you will spin us a 
good long yarn.” 

“We will see, master Olav, we will see,” 
replied the old warder, gazing kindly and 
with evident gratification at the young cadet, 
“but we must have patience until we can 


THE LIGHTHOUSE. I9 

seat ourselves comfortably in the guard-room 
and our friends Elfdal and Ronne arrive.” 

“And that must be attended to without 
further delay,” said the colonel, quickly. 
“ Keep vigilant guard, and do not forget, 
over your yarn-spinning, that the lives of 
perchance many this night are at stake. 
Adieu until to-morrow.” 

After a warm grasp of his son’s and the 
old warder’s hand, he went with hasty step 
toward the harbor. “ It is time he had gone,” 
said the sentinel, looking after him : “the storm 
will soon be upon us ; the drops even now are 
as large as thalers. We must go into the 
tower, Olav, and kindle the fire : although it 
is not yet night, it will soon be so dark that 
the poor mariners over yonder will need all 
the light we can give them.” 

The lad lost no time in consideration, for 
on the instant the windows of heaven were 
opened, and a deluge of rain poured down 


20 


THE IRON HEAD. 


Upon them. The sky was suddenly darkened, ' 
and the fierce, howling wind swept over the 
sea as upon the wings of an eagle. The sun 
had entirely disappeared in the high swelling 
flood, and only a faint glimmer in the west 
made known the spot where his red beams 
had been seen but a moment before. 

The warder and Olav ascended the winding 
stone staircase which led to the great lantern 
of the tower, and made preparation to kindle 
the coal-fire. Soon its clear beacon-light 
spread Tar out to sea, pouring a lurid glow 
upon the foaming waves as they dashed with 
mighty but unavailing fury upon the rocks 
beneath. 

“We have discharged our duty, my lad,” 
said the old man, as he stirred, with an iron 
bar, the flames to a still intenser glow ; “ now 
we have only to keep our eyes open, and lift 
up our hearts to Him who can ‘make the 
storm a calm ’ and bring those poor tempest- 


THE LIGHTHOUSE. 


21 


tossed mariners to the desired haven. It will 
not be a hard task to keep up the fire with 
our supply of coal.” 

” Particularly if you keep your promise, 
warder, and tell us stories of your youth,” 
replied Olav. 

No, no, my boy ! no yarns upon such a 
fearful night, when in storm and tempest upon 
the ‘ wide, wide sea ’ hundreds of men’s lives 
are in danger,” said Richard Roos, pityingly. 
“ It would be an unseemly thing to jest and 
laugh while the raging waters thunder against 
the cliffs at our very feet, and perchance the 
drowning cry of some poor wretch mingles 
with the howling and rushing of the fearful 
blast. No, no ! no yarns this night, my lad ! 
I will tell you, instead, what you and your 
comrades many a time have wished to hear — 
about — ” 

Our king, our hero king, Charles !” in- 
terrupted Olav, with glee. 


22 


THE IRON HEAD. 


“Yes, yes, you have guessed aright, lad,” 
replied the old soldier as his clear blue eyes 
gazed musingly into the bright flames, strok- 
ing slowly, meanwhile, his thick black mus- 
tache. “ He was a great man, the king, a 
bold prince, but, my son, the Holy Book 
says : ^ He that hath no rule over his own 
spirit is like a city that is broken down and 
without walls;’ and truly my lord the king 
had a proud and perverse spirit, which at last 
brought upon his own head and upon that 
of Sweden bitter defeat and humiliation. Yes, 
yes ! the relation is meet for such a night as 
this, and you shall hear it. Mighty, proud 
and impetuou#was he as the sea that roars 
around us, but as dangerous and unapproach- 
able when his perverse will was unchained. 
The history of our Charles XII. is as 
strange as that of the fabled knights of the 
olden times, and methinks I was highly 
favored to have stood by his side for so 


THE LIGHTHOUSE. 


23 


many years. Yes, my lad, you shall hear 
this night of many incidents that I have not 
yet told to the youths of Marstrand, and I 
truly hope that the relation, painful though 
some of the reminiscences are to me, will 
teach many a useful lesson that will influence 
your future lives. How different would it 
have been with our young prince had he laid 
to heart the monition of the wise king of 
Israel ! — ‘ He that is slow to anger is better 
than the mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit 
than he that taketh a city.’ But if I am not 
much mistaken, there are your comrades, 
Ronne and Elfdal ; at least I heard the door 
close a moment since, and now I hear steps 
on the staircase.” 

“ It is they,” said Olav, after listening in- 
tently ; “ I know the clashing of Elfdal’s sabre, 
and here they are to answer for themselves.” 

Yes, here we are, and wish you a good- 
evening,” cried the clear, merry voice of a 


24 


THE IRON HEAD. 


young cadet who, accompanied by his friend, 
stepped upon the platform of the lighthouse. 
“ Most horrible weather! Your father, Olav, 
must have thought we needed penance, to 
send us out in such a night. Confusion to 
such storms and tempests as this, say I!” 

“Not so fast, Elfdal,” said Olav; “if you 
talk thus wildly, the warder will show us the 
door, and to none of us will that be more 
vexatious than to yourself” 

“ Ei ! my lad, you are right there,” replied 
the frank, impetuous youth, whose dark eyes 
sparkled from beneath the damp black locks 
like coals of fire. “ I did not mean to offend 
my old friend Roos. Your hand, warder: 
you well know I had no such intention, but a 
night in the tower under these surroundings 
is certainly no favor.” 

“ Not if Roos has promised us meanwhile 
a story of old times, of Narva and Bender 
and the Turks ?” said Olav. 


THE LIGHTHOUSE. 2$ 

“ Has he promised that ? Then I withdraw 
all complaints and grumblings. Is that so, 
warder ?” 

The old man nodded pleasantly as he said : 

Yes, my lad, I intend telling you to-night, 
God willing, of the king’s youth, of some of 
the most remarkable incidents of his later 
life, and of his sad end, which plunged our 
country into misfortune, misery and ruin. 
And you will do well to listen earnestly, and 
profit by the relation, Elfdal, for in you, my 
lad, there is a goodly portion of willfulness 
and obstinacy: more than once have I seen 
you try to run your head through a wall. 
Pardon an did man for a word of advice, my 
son, and bear with me while I give you a 
lesson from the Book of books : * Better is 
the end of a thing than the beginning thereof ; 
and the patient in spirit is better than the 
proud in spirit. Wisdom is better than 

strength and a wiser than Solomon, my lad, 
3 


26 


THE IRON HEAD. 


has said : * Learn of me, for I am meek and 
lowly in heart.’ ” 

“ Never mind that now, warder : perhaps I 
was not so perverse as I seemed,” replied the 
young cadet, blushing with shame. Youth 
is not the season for mature virtues.” 

“ But youth should ever strive after that 
which is noble and excellent, and in all things 
to be reasonable and docile,” said the old 
mentor ; “ if Charles had reflected before many 
a fatal deed which he afterward condemned, 
many an evil would have been averted, not 
only from his own head, but from our Father- 
land, and Sweden would have been far from 
least among nations. I myself — ^but that is of 
little consequence : still, I will only mention — 
I myself would not have been seated here for 
these twenty years lighting the watch-tower 
beacon if King Charles had only lived a f^w 
months, or even weeks, longer. But God 
willed it so, and I am content. You have 


THE LIGHTHOUSE. 


27 


not yet laid aside your mantles, my lads : they 
are dripping with wet. Suppose we now carry 
up a good store of coal, to last during the 
night, and then, if it please you, we will seat 
ourselves in the guard-room, where we can 
watch at the same time the beacon and the 
sea.” 

Of the last we will see but little, I am 
thinking, if we are likely to hear enough, 
warder,” said Ronne ; it is so dark without 
that one cannot see his own hand before 
him.” 

But the flash of the cannon, if a signal 
of distress be fired from a ship in danger, can 
be seen, my boy.” 

“ I see, I see, and confess, besides, that one 
of us should not dispute with you, warder, 
if he does not wish to get the worst of it,” 
said Ronne, a little ashamed, in his turn, of 
his inconsiderate remark. 

“ That would be something if I should 


28 


THE IRON HEAD. 


come off worse with such a saucy young 
stripling as you,” laughingly replied the old 
man. But, nevertheless, you are a frank, 
brave fellow, Ronne, and I can readily pardon 
an occasional hasty word. But now for the 
coal, and afterward — ” 

“ For our story, friend Roos,” said Olav 
Sparre : “ I, for one, can hardly wait until the 
time comes for you to begin.” 

The cadets had now taken off their mantles, 
hanging them near the fire so that they should 
dry during the night; then, betaking them- 
selves bravely to work, they rendered efficient 
aid to the old warder by carrying the heavy 
buckets of coal up the long winding staircase. 
When this was at length accomplished they 
followed him merrily into the guard-room, 
eager to hear the promised story. Here it 
was warm and comfortable, and soon a lamp 
shed its friendly light around them. The lads 
bestowed themselves as comfortably as possi- 


THE LIGHTHOUSE. ?9 

ble upon the large wooden chairs around the 
oaken table in the centre of the little tower- 
room, but the vigilant old warder turned his 
leather-covered arm-chair so that he could 
look now out upon the sea, anon upon the 
beacon-fire, whose flame must constantly be 
fed and kept in glow. Without, the tempest 
howled, the waves thundered in their wild 
rage, the rain plashed heavily against the 
little window of the lighthouse, and starless, 
deep, dark night lay dismally over land and 
sea. Within the cozy room it was only so 
much the more cheery and pleasant, and the 
warder’s youthful guests soon felt quite at 
home. One long, searching look, his fore- 
head pressed close against the window, the 
old man cast over the sea, next upon the 
beacon-fire, that brightly sparkled and glowed 
in flaming jets ; then, after a vigorous clearing 
of his throat, he began to spin the yarn to 
which the lads had so eagerly looked forward. 



CHAPTER II. 

COPENHA GEN.— NAP VA.—PEA CE OPAL TPAN- 
STADT. 

T MUST tell you, in the first place,” the 
old soldier began, how I was brought 
under the special notice of the king, so that 
he considered me afterward worthy of some 
little confidence. 

“ It happened in this wise : when I was a 
young lad, perhaps some year or two older 
than you boys are now — for I had passed my 
sixteenth birth-day — I came to Stockholm and 
enlisted as a soldier. I could not remain at 
home ; to follow the plough was not the life 
for me : it pleased me far better to manage a 
fiery horse or handle a musket and sabre. 

30 





COPENHAGEN. 3I 

My mother was dead : her prayers and tears 
else had, no doubt, held me back in the vil- 
lage of Dalekarlien ; but my father was of 
sterner stuff, having himself borne arms when 
he was young, recalling even in his old age 
those stirring, adventurous times with pleas- 
ure. Besides, I knew his mind would be 
easier did I enter the king’s service ; his 
estate was very small — altogether insufficient 
to support two families — and I had an elder 
brother who rightly would inherit the little 
there was to leave in case of his death. My 
father’s love for me caused him considerable 
solicitude: it grieved him to think that the 
time would in all probability soon come when 
I must cross the threshold of the old house 
a homeless stranger. Upon this account he 
encouraged rather than repressed my martial 
disposition, painting in such glowing colors 
the life of the soldier that my longing to 
set out for Stockholm and enter upon its 


32 THE IRON HEAD. 

duties and pleasures grew daily stronger and 
stronger. 

“ It was upon a bright, beautiful Sunday 
morning — how well I remember the day! — 
when my father said to me : ‘ My son, if you 
still seriously desire to be a soldier, we will 
set out to-morrow for Stockholm. I will 
take you to my old commander. General 
Steenbock, and beg of him to say a good 
word for you. But mark you, Richard, I do 
not compel you to enter upon this life : it 
must be entirely of your own free will. Ypu 
can serve your God, I think, my son, as well 
in serving your king and defending your 
Fatherland as in tilling the field and leading 
the peaceful life of the farmer; only ever 
bear in mind that the holy Book commands 
first y "‘fear God” and then “honor the king.”’ 

“‘Yes, father,’ I replied; ‘and you may 
rest assured that it is not only of my own 
free will, but it will be gratifying my most 




COPENHAGEN. 


33 


ardent wish, to be a soldier. I can scarcely 
believe that the time has really come for us 
to go to Stockholm.’ 

“ Early the following morning, before the 
sun peeped over the mountain top down into 
our quiet valley, we were prepared for the 
journey. My brother Sven accompanied us 
some little distance upon our way, then, as 
we bade farewell for the first — and it proved, 
lads, for the last — time, we lifted up our voices 
and wept, for we loved each other fondly, 
as brothers should. But even had I stayed in 
the valley we could not have remained long 
together: I would have been compelled to 
seek service in the house of some farmer, 
and far rather would I serve my king. 

“After bidding Sven good-bye my father 
and I went rather more sadly upon our way. 
We reached Stockholm at last, after a tire- 
some travel, and, receiving the desired infor- 
mation, set out at once for the residence of 
C 


34 THE IRON HEAD. 

General Steenbock. We were admitted to an 
audience without delay, for my father was 
announced as a veteran of his old ‘Twelfth 
Infantry.’ The general looked at him keenly 
for a moment, then, his harsh face relaxing 
into a smile, he cordially extended his hand. 

“ ‘ Roos, my dear old fellow !’ he cried, 
‘are you still alive? I did not know you 
at first : time has not dealt kindly with you.’ 

“ ‘ Pardon me, general,’ my father replied : 
‘ the same thought about you occurred to me ; 
but although you have not grown younger, 
I would have known you anywhere. The old 
stern look, the fierce mustache, the martial 
bearing, remain unchanged ; many a time has 
that sharp glance made me quail before it, 
general.’ 

“The old officer laughed, apparently well 
pleased with my father’s frank words and 
manner, and go^od-humoredly added, ‘There 
was always a goodly nuniber of scamps in 


COPENHAGEN. 


35 


the Twelfth among whom it was necessary 
that discipline should be maintained. But I 
do remember that you, Roos, were not the 
worst of the lot — on the contrary, a brave, 
faithful fellow. I am glad to see you. And 
now what brings you to Stockholm ? Have 
you a favor to ask of your old officer, my 
man ?’ 

* You have guessed aright, your excel- 
lency,’ replied my father. ‘This boy, gene- 
ral — do you think you can make a soldier 
of him?’ 

“Without vanity, I may here say, my 
lads,” said the old man, complacently strok- 
ing his mustache, “that I was a right well- 
favored fellow, of active, powerful limb, health 
beaming in my bright eyes and rosy, sun- 
burned cheeks. When my father alluded to 
me I stepped forward, and stretching myself 
to my full height, respectfully and modestly, 
I trust, saluted the general as I had been 


THE IRON HEAD. 


36 

taught a soldier should greet his officer. The 
old man scrutinized me keenly for a moment 
from head to foot, then, turning to my father, 
said, 

“ * Your son, Roos ?’ 

“ ' My flesh and blood, general.’ 

“ ‘ Good ! I have no doubt that something 
can be made of him. He can stay, and should 
he conduct himself properly, I promise you 
a place for him in the body-guard of the 
Crown Prince. You can leave him without 
anxiety, my old friend ; he shall be well cared 
for if he acts aright. 

* Orderly !’ he then called in an authorita- 
tive tone, and on the instant a soldier in, 
bright uniform stepped respectfully into the 
room. • 

*‘'Take this recruit in charge,’ said the 
general ; ‘ he enters upon service to-morrow ; 
he is to be well drilled, but at the same time 
well cared for. Do you understand? And 


COPENHAGEN. 3/ 

now, my man,’ said he, turning toward me, 
‘ take leave of your father.’ 

“ Although the command was unexpected, 
I turned at once to obey, for the general’s 
tone did not admit of hesitation. My father 
grasped my hand, and with one fervent kiss 
exhorted me in few words to be upright, 
faithful and brave, adding, as he relinquished 
my hand, ‘Do this, my son, and thou shalt 
find favor and good understanding in the 
sight of God and man.’ Saluting the general 
again, I followed the orderly, and ten minutes 
later found myself in the barracks, where I 
was handed over to a subordinate. I never 
saw my father again, but, lads, his words never 
left me: I hear his voice even to this very 
hour still sounding in my ears and in my 
heart. 

“ My new life was at first a little harder 
than I had in my zeal imagined. The uni- 
form was all right, but of the never-ending 

4 


38 THE IRON HEAD. 

drill I soon had enough. Nevertheless, I did 
my duty, and as I had been well taught by 
my father from my youth up, I did not ex- 
perience so much difficulty as most raw re- 
cruits, and on that account won favor with 
the subordinate, who sounded my praises to 
the general when he kindly inquired about 
me. Time passed on until I advanced from 
a recruit to a real soldier ; I was enrolled in 
a company, and must now perform my duties 
regularly as the rest ; this pleased me much 
better, and my predilection for a soldier’s life 
made all hardships light. I soon won the 
reputation of being one of the best soldiers 
in the company, and my neat and orderly 
appearance called forth commendation and 
favor from the general. 

“One day, after a close and apparently 
satisfactory inspection, he drew the subordi- 
nate aside, speaking with him a short time 
in an under tone. One hour after I was in- 


COPENHAGEN. 


39 


formed that I could hold myself prepared to 
enter the body-guard of the Crown Prince 
Charles. He was at that time only eleven 
years of age, but I soon saw that he under- 
stood as much about military tactics as many 
an officer who had been for years in the ser- 
vice. His guard was composed of picked men, 
over whom he had command. He drilled us 
indefatigably, and knew each one by name. 
Our service was not an easy one, for the 
ardent youth allowed us but little time for 
rest, and besides our other duties we were 
required to guard the castle and park. We 
served him willingly, for even at this early 
age he did not spare himself, and exacted no 
more from us than from himself. It took no 
prophet to predict that one day a warrior 
would spring up fully armed. He did not 
even live as a prince; his clothing was ex- 
tremely simple, .his uniform only differing 
from ours in having a slight golden cord 


40 


THE IRON HEAD. 


Upon the shoulder. His bed was not of 
eider-down, I can assure you, but an ordi- 
nary mattress with a light covering, upon 
which he slept summer and winter. Good or 
bad weather mattered but little to him ; when 
drill-hour came we must turn out in rank 
and file whether the sun shone or whether 
it rained, if we languished with heat or were 
almost frozen with cold. Considering all 
things, he treated us well, and indeed left us 
no room for complaint, for he shared all our 
hardships, caring as little for the weather 
as the oldest veteran in our company. We 
served him in all love and fidelity, and I 
truly believe had he commanded we would 
have gone through fire and through water 
for his sake. 

“You need not smile, my lads; it is no 
vain boast, for truly I went through water 
even without his command.. It happened in 
this wise. 


COPENHAGEN. 


41 




I was on guard one day at the portal of 
the castle, when the Crown Prince, together 
with several of his companions, entered the 
garden to play ball. It was a distinguished 
company, boys — the young Count Brahe, 
Count Sture, Oxenstierna and some others, 
all of the most noble families in the land. 
I watched them at their game for some time, 
and to my delight soon saw that the prince 
was the most dextrous of the number. But 
upon a sudden Charles threw his ball with 
such force that it shot far past Count Sture, 

, whose turn it was to catch it, falling into a 
deep reservoir of water and sinking at once 
to the bottom. The prince was very angry 
at the loss of his ball, which he highly prized, 
while the young count stood confused and 
annoyed at the want of skill which, he rightly 
judged, had caused the vexatious accident. 
‘ You must get me my ball, Sture !’ cried the 
prince. ^ It is worth more to me than a hun- 


42 


THE IRON HEAD. 


dred rix dollars, for my grandmother gave 
it to me only yesterday. Dive in the water, 
sir, and bring it up.’ 

The poor young count, with heightened 
color and in great perplexity, stammered : ‘ I 
cannot swim, your highness : if I should ven- 
ture in, I would surely drown.’ 

‘ Drown or not,’ said the excited prince, * I 
will have my ball, and you let it fall in the 
reservoir : go in, I tell you, and if you cannot 
bring it up, one of the others must. You, 
Brahe, or you, Oxenstierna! I will and I 
must have my ball.’ 

“Saying these words, he stamped upon 
the ground in his rage, looking as fierce as 
though it would give him the greatest pleas- 
ure in the world to swallow them alive. But 
his comrades did not exhibit the slightest 
alacrity to venture their lives for the sake 
of a paltry ball, withdrawing, while he spoke, 
some steps farther from the reservoir. The 


COPENHAGEN. 43 

prince looked as if he were about to commit 
some rash act, and I now considered it time to 
interfere. I could swim then about as well 
as a duck, and if I threw off my coat the rest 
of my uniform could not be much injured; 
besides, I had marked the spot where the 
ball sank, and it would be no great feat to 
recover it. 

“ ^ Pardon me, your Highness,’ said I as I 
stepped forward ; ‘if you will grant me per- 
mission to fish up your ball, you shall soon 
have it.’ 

“ My words restored the interrupted har- 
mony, appeased the anger of the prince and 
brought back the. color to the blanched 
cheeks of the terrified lads, who had good 
reason to dread some hot-headed deed upon 
the part of the excited boy. To my surprise, 
I received a friendly assent, the prince add- 
ing — his manner, even more than his words, 
expressing his delight — 


44 


THE IRON HEAD. 


“‘Bravo, Richard Roos! Can you swim 
and dive, my man ? The reservoir is deep.’ 

“ ‘ If it were ten fathoms deeper, your 
Highness should have your ball,’ said I ; ‘but 
you know that I dare not leave my post with- 
out orders, and therefore I ask — ’ 

“ ‘ Right, right, my man,’ he interrupted. 
‘Sture, you can relieve him. Shoulder his 
musket, sirrah !’ 

“ The young man, thinking a few moments’ 
guard not so trying as a bath, complied with 
considerable alacrity. Drawing off my coat, 
with one plunge I was in the reservoir. To 
find the ball, swim to shore and hand it to 
the prince were but the work of a few mo- 
ments. 

“ ‘ Well done, Roos !’ said he, greatly 
pleased ; ‘ you have done me a favor. Take 
this thaler, my man; and,’ said he, turning 
toward the young counts, ‘ you may now also. 
open your purses, for my brave guard has 


COPENHAGEN. 45 

saved you an unwelcome bath. If he had 
not recovered the ball, I would have com- 
pelled you to go into the reservoir, as surely 
as I am Crown Prince of Sweden.’ 

The lads could well credit this assertion, 
for as he made it he put on such a stern face 
of determination and self-will that I received 
without one word of objection my four hard 
thalers. Thanking them for their grace, I 
drew on my coat, expecting to return to my 
post, but the prince would not suffer it. 

** * March to your quarters, Roos,’ said he, 
* and dry your wet clothing.’ 

“ ‘ But the post, my lord ?’ 

“‘You need not trouble yourself about 
that : we will take care of it until the relief 
comes. Count Brahe,’ he cried, ‘you and 
Oxenstierna can relieve Sture in turn. I am 
satisfied with you, Roos. Adieu, until we 
meet again.’ 

“The prince thus making himself respon- 


46 


THE IRON HEAD. 


sible for my leaving my post, I went to the 
guard-room and at once reported myself to 
the officer. He stared in amazement when I 
described to him the state of the case, and 
immediately sent a patrol to appoint another 
guard. But the prince would not allow it, 
saying that the young counts should honestly 
serve out my time. From that hour I stood 
in his favor. Many a time when off duty I 
was ordered to his presence, and as I had 
some little gift at that time in telling yarns, 
as you lads call it, this faculty was often in 
requisition. He was generally good-humor- 
ed, but sometimes, when overtaken by one 
of his headstrong, obstinate fits, he acted as 
though he were actually bereft of his senses. 
Had it not been for this fatal blemish in his 
character, which it grieves me to say he re- 
tained throughout his life, he would have 
been not only one of the boldest but greatest 
monarchs Europe ever saw ; but ah, my lads, 


COPENHAGEN. 4/ 

he had unfortunately ‘ no rule over his own 
spirit;’ he lacked true wisdom, with all his 
royalty, wealth and power. Pardon an old 
man, boys, and suffer him just here to read a 
lesson from Holy Writ which it will be well 
for you seriously to ponder. It will not take 
us long.” Saying this, the old warder drew 
toward him the well-worn Bible which ever 
lay upon his little table in the guard-room, 
and, opening it, read slowly and impressively 
these words : 

“ Where shall wisdom be found ? and where 
is the place of understanding ? 

“ Man knoweth not the price thereof ; 
neither is it found in the land of the living. 

“ The depth saith. It is not in me : and the 
sea saith. It is not with me. 

“ It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall 
silver be weighed for the price thereof. 

It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, 
with the precious onyx, or the sapphire. 


48 


THE IRON HEAD. 


“ The gold and the crystal cannot equal it ; 
and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels 
of fine gold. 

“ No mention shall be made of coral, or of 
pearls : for the price of wisdom is above 
rubies. 

“ The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, 
neither shall it be valued with pure gold. 

Whence then cometh wisdom ? and where 
is the place of understanding ? 

“ Behold the fear of the Lord^ that is wisdom^ 
and to depart from evil is understanding.’* 

The old man paused, and for a few mo- 
ments gazed sadly and retrospectively into the 
glowing flames, then passing his hand sud- 
denly over his broad forehead, and clearing 
his throat vigorously, resumed his narration. 

As I was saying, boys,” he recommenced, 
“ the prince had not learned to rule his own 
spirit. I was witness upon one occasion 
of a contention he had, when quite young. 


COPENHAGEN. 


49 


with his grandmother, the queen-dowager, 
Eleonora, although he generally treated the 
honorable lady with marked respect. But it 
was upon one of his hot-headed, obstinate 
days, and there was but little use at such 
times in attempting to restrain him. He wore 
the uniform of his body-guard, and as my 
post fonthe time was at his door, I could not 
help seeing and hearing all that took place. 
He was just in the mood to pick a quarrel 
with any one who opposed him. A lackey 
who had unintentionally committed some 
trifling blunder he rated soundly,, pitching 
him headlong from the door ; as he did so he 
cast upon me a fierce side-look, but I stood at 
my post with a face of stone, apparently tak- 
ing no notice of aught that transpired. Ac- 
cordingly, I felt secure in my indifference. My 
uniform was in trim, my musket bright, in 
short, all was orderly ; he could not possibly, 

I thought, find fault with me, even if he wished 
6 D 


50 


THE IRON HEAD. 


to do SO. The queen-dowager at this unlucky 
moment chanced to enter the room, and like 
a bird of prey he pounced upon her, glad to 
find some one upon whom to vent his ill-humor. 

My coat is black, is it not, grandmother?’ 
said he, fiercely, to the lady. 

‘‘ ‘ Oh no, my child,’ she gently answered ; 
‘ it is a decided blue.’ 

“ ‘ It is black,’ cried the little savage. 

‘ It is certainly blue,’ repeated the lady. 

“ ‘ I say it is black, black !’ cried the prince, 
stamping in his anger upon the floor, and 
making such a din that all in the castle could 
hear. The queen-dowager must actually at 
last give up, right or wrong, and acknowledge 
the coat to be black, although it was as blue 
as the sky. 

“ Now, thought I to myself, if you were 
not a prince, my lad, you would get a sound 
thrashing with this ramrod. But I guarded 
myself cautiously to prevent my thoughts 


COPENHAGEN. 


51 


from being seen, for I can assure you that it 
did not do to j.oke with him when in one of 
these self-willed, obstinate humors. He could 
not help feeling conscious, however, that I did 
not approve of his conduct, for casting upon 
me suddenly a heathenish look, he roared out : 

“ ‘ You tell me, Roos : is my coat black or 
blue?’ 

“ ‘ Pardon me,’ I replied, hoping by discre- 
tion to escape safely out of the affair ; ‘ no 
guard under arms, as your Grace is aware, 
dare have an opinion.’ 

“‘But I command, and you shall answer!’ 
cried he, with a look that foreboded nothing 
of good : ‘ black or blue ?’ 

“His menacing manner provoked me; 
nothing would have induced me to yield to 
the young barbarian; and without taking a 
moment for reflection, I answered, ‘ Black, 
your Highness I Black as a com-flower 

* A flower of a peculiarly brilliant blue color. 


52 


THE IRON HEAD. 


I had hit it At first he pricked up his 
ears, then laughed aloud, his fit of anger over 
for that time at least ^You artful knave!’ 
cried he, in the best humor in the world. 
* You are a bold fellow, Roos ; had you taken 
a different course, it would have been all over 
between us. You have pleased me as well as 
you did at the reservoir.’ 

“‘That is fortunate for me, prince,’ I re- 
plied ; ‘ but I do not think it generous to put 
any one to the test in this manner, particularly 
a poor soldier who dare not contradict your 
Grace upon any consideration.’ 

“‘You are right, fellow. I acknowledge 
it, and will remember it in the future.’ Then 
extending his hand in the most courteous 
manner to the queen-dowager, he led her like 
a gallant cavalier to her room. 

“ So was he ever, violent, impetuous, obsti- 
nate and iron-headed when opposed, and, again, 
to be wound around one’s finger if only man- 


COPENHAGEN. 53 

aged with wisdom and discretion. His was a 
most singular disposition, and he retained it 
until the close of his life. 

“ But I must take time to tell you of an- 
other of his mad freaks. It was in the very 
midst of winter, and most fearfully cold, when 
it suddenly occurred to him one day that he 
would take a ride. ‘You can come along,’ 
he called to me in passing ; and as I consid- 
ered this invitation a command, I prepared to 
obey, although it was not very agreeable upon 
such a day. His sleigh soon being brought 
out, he sprang in, taking the reins, while I, 
whip in hand, bestowed myself, according to 
orders, upon the back seat; two mounted 
postilions followed, and with ringing of bells 
and cracking of whip we drove through the 
streets, making some excitement upon that 
still, cold day. We proceeded for some dis- 
tance without encountering any obstacle, ex- 
cepting the severity of the weather, until on a 


54 THE IRON HEAD. 

sudden the horse stopped before a low wall 
which the prince had not observed, as it was 
completely covered with snow, positively re- 
fusing to advance farther. Charles whipped 
and shouted in vain, for the horse was wiser 
than he. Seeing one of the postilions ex- 
hibit some mischievous enjoyment at this 
obstacle, which he supposed was too hard 
a nut for even the iron head of the crown- 
prince to crack, he shouted : 

‘ Dismount, you lazy rascals, and pull the 
wall down! You shall not have the satisfac- 
tion of boasting that Charles was compelled to 
alter his course for a paltry wall. Down with 
you, knaves I' 

“ The poor fellows did not anticipate such 
a command — ^which was no pleasant one, I 
can assure you, upon that bitter day — but 
all they had to do was to obey, my office 
being meantime to hold their horses. After 
some hard work it was accomplished, and 


COPENHAGEN. 55 

Charles had the pleasure and satisfaction of 
driving straight on his course. His head of 
steel, for this time at least, successfully ran 
through the wall. 

Similar extravagant pranks he was often 
guilty of, proving conclusively, .1 think, that 
his head was not formed of ordinary stuff. 
I do not tell these incidents in his praise, my 
lads, but I wish especially to show you that, 
had this inflexible will been rightly directed, 
it might have accomplished great good. His 
tutor, upon many occasions, was sorely tried 
with him : for instance, he would not study his 
Latin grammar. Finding that rational per- 
suasions did not avail, the tutor gave up, say- 
ing, * Very well, your Highness. I am per- 
fectly satisfied that you should not learn, but 
you certainly cannot expect to be numbered 
among the great monarchs of the world. 
However, I suppose that is a matter of in- 
difference to you.’ 


56 


THE IRON HEAD. 


'' ‘ What do you mean ?’ asked the prince, 
indignantly. * What I mean,’ replied his in- 
structor, ‘ is very apparent : every great mon- 
arch understands Latin ; even your neighbor, 
the king of Denmark, is fluent in that lan- 
guage.’ 

“‘What others have learned I can and 
will learn,’ said he; ‘hand me the grammar.’ 
And from that hour he studied with a dili- 
gence and perseverance that were at least as 
iron-hke as his head. The French language 
was also mastered by him in the same man- 
ner. Arouse his ambition, and you could 
do as you pleased with him. 

“ A martial spirit animated him even at this 
early age; he studied history with avidity, 
and dearly loved to read of Alexander and 
Caesar, ‘proposing those two heroes as his 
models in all but their vices.’ I myself heard 
him say, upon one occasion, to the queen- 
dowager, that he would willingly live only 


COPENHAGEN. 5/ 

thirty years to win the renown Alexander 
had gained. 

General Steenbock— the same through 
whose influence I was appointed one of the 
prince’s body-guard — had observed and en- 
couraged in him this martial spirit ; he won 
high favor with the lad by presenting him 
with twenty-four miniature cannon, with am- 
munition, wagons, and all belonging thereto. 
I was on guard before his door when this 
present was received; my musket was at 
once ordered to the corner, and I was forth- 
with required to assist in the new game. 
When the lance corporal made his rounds 
he looked anything but pleased to see my 
post deserted, but the prince used little cere- 
mony with him. 

*‘*What Roos has done has been by my 
special order,’ he cried. 'Leave us, sirrah, 
this instant.’ 

" This was now his favorite sport, and many 


58 


THE IRON HEAD. 


a time was my service required in cleaning, 
loading and shooting, until he became so ex- 
pert that even at that early age he could have 
vied with any cannoneer in the land. But I 
have not time to give you any more incidents 
of Charles’ youth. It might have been very 
different for him had he not lost his father so 
early in life : the king died when the Crown 
Prince was only fifteen years old. According 
to the law of the empire, he would have been 
eligible to the throne even at this early age, 
but his father, knowing his perverse, intract- 
able spirit, provided in his will that he should 
be under the guardianship of the queen- 
dowager — who had also governed the king- 
dom under the minority of the late king — 
until his eighteenth year, the administration 
being lodged in her hands, together with five 
senators. The prince was highly indignant 
at this order, but as he truly loved and re- 
vered his grandmother, he submitted obedi- 


COPENHAGEN. 59 

ently a whole year, and perhaps would have 
been content for a longer period had not the 
smouldering sparks been fanned by another. 
On one occasion, upon reviewing some regi- 
ments, he sunk so deep in thought that the 
senator Piper, who rode by his side, earnestly 
inquired what so completely engrossed the 
mind of his Majesty. 

“ ‘ I am thinking,’ replied the prince, rous- 
ing from his reverie — M am thinking that I 
am capable of commanding those brave fel- 
lows, and I do not choose that either they 
or I should receive orders from a woman.’ 

‘‘ * If your Majesty,’ said Count Piper, ^ will 
grant me unlimited authority, within three 
days, my head being the forfeit, you will be 
called to be sovereign king.’ The desire of 
the prince being communicated by the sen- 
ators to the queen-regent, they were by her 
referred to the States : there all were agreed, 
and the queen, finding that opposition would 


6o 


THE IRON HEAD. 


be vain, resigned her power with a good 
grace. The prince ' was invested with abso- 
lute authority in three days after he had ex- 
pressed his desire of reigning alone.’ After 
the archbishop Swebilius had anointed him, 
according to custom, and was about to set the 
crown upon his head, with his wonted per- 
verseness Charles seized it from his hands 
and placed it upon his own head. Now he 
was truly king, and the world soon saw that 
he was not a straw puppet, to be pulled about 
at pleasure by invisible wires behind the 
scenes. He had hitherto troubled himself 
but little about state affairs ; to be sure, he 
was occasionally present at the council of the 
empire, but had always gone with no good 
intent, I fear — only to irritate and deride the 
senators. On this account he was thought to 
be of but mean capacity ; ' but the difficulties 
that gathered around him soon afforded him 
an opportunity of displaying his real charac- 


COPENHAGEN. 


6l 


ter.-’ The foreign powers also, presuming on 
his youth and inexperience, thought they 
could take from him, without great danger, 
a good slice of his kingdom. Russia, Poland 
and Denmark, almost at the same time, con- 
spired his ruin, throwing the Swedish council 
thereby into considerable dismay and per- 
plexity. 

They were at once for averting the storm 
by negotiations, but the young king, who 
fortunately was upon this occasion in their 
midst, upon these propositions sprang to his 
feet, and with a dignity that well became him, 
and astonished them, uttered these words : 

“ ‘ My lords, I am resolved never to begin 
an unjust war, nor ever to finish a just one 
but by the destruction of my enemies. My 
resolution is fixed : I will attack the first that 
shall declare against me, and after having con- 
quered him, I hope I shall be able to strike 

terror into the rest.’ 

6 


62 


THE IRON HEAD. 


“With these words he left them, and the 
old counselors sat there surprised and con- 
founded. 

“ It was soon shown that these were no 
vain boastings of the youthful prince. He 
was bear-hunting (a sport he greatly en- 
joyed) when a courier brought him the 
news that Augustus of Saxony had invaded 
Livonia, and that at the same time the king 
of Denmark had entered the territories of 
the duke of Holstein. In one moment he 
was fire and flame; the chase was no more 
thought of ; and after a short consultation, he 
resolved to send a considerable body of troops 
to the duke’s assistance. Before their arrival, 
however, ‘the Danes had ravaged the country, 
taken the castle of Gottorp, and laid siege to 
Tonningen.’ The King of Denmark was as- 
sisted by Saxony, Brandenburg and Hesse- 
Cassel. England and Holland joined Charles 
against the confederacy, sending fleets to the 


COPENHAGEN. 63 

Baltic ; an equitable termination of the war 
was proposed, but the king of Denmark, de- 
spising the youthful king of Sweden, haughtily 
refused. We soldiers now received orders to 
embark, and on the 8th of May, 1700, Charles, 
under the conduct of a countless multitude, 
who followed him to the harbor amidst tears 
and shouts of admiration, left his beautiful 
capital, to which he never returned. 

“ But we dreamed naught of this then, my 
lads : we set out with good courage and high 
hopes, glad to meet with the enemy who 
had treated our Fatherland and our young 
monarch with such haughty disdain. Our 
cause was just and we were favored by hea- 
ven. The fleet of the allies was defeated, and, 
having reached Copenhagen, we, together with 
some English and Holland ships, proceeded 
at once to invest it by sea and by land. The 
Danes were not a little frightened by our 
boldness. The king left his ship-of-war at 


64 


THK IRON HEAD. 


the head of his grenadiers, and entered a 
sloop in order the easier to reach shore. This 
was accomplished at last under a hot storm 
of bullets which greeted us from the Danish 
side. What I now tell you I saw myself, for 
as the king entered the sloop, I was, I can 
assure you, lads, not very far in the rear. 
Close beside him was the French ambassador, 
Count de Guiscard, a brave man, loyal and 
true to Sweden. I stood just behind him, so 
near to the king that I could have touched 
him with my outstretched hand : not one word 
that he exchanged with his attendants was 
lost upon me. 

“ In the first excitement, Charles took but 
little notice by whom he was followed, and 
with some surprise he now saw Guiscard. 

Ha, my lord ambassador!’ he exclaimed. 
‘You have no quarrel with the Danes: you 
need go no farther, if you please.’ 

“‘Sir, the king, my master,’ replied the 


COPENHAGEN. 


65 

brave man, *has ordered me to attend your 
majesty. I hope you will not this day banish 
me from your court, which never before ap- 
peared so splendid.’ 

“ Charles smiled, but answered never a 
word. In my ardor and admiration I could 
have embraced the noble man : that one ex- 
pression had won my heart. 

** Meanwhile, as we drew near shore we 
found the water so shallow that our progress 
was necessarily slow; indeed, at times we 
feared w'e would ground. I noticed that the 
king’s impatience was almost consuming him, 
and thought within myself that this state of 
things would not last much longer, and I 
was right. When some three hundred paces 
from shore, Charles, suddenly unsheathing 
his sword and springing into the sea, cried 
aloud, 

* Let every bold Swede follow his king,’ 

and on the instant we grenadiers, nothing 
6 E 


66 THE IRON HEAD. 

loth, sprang after him, wading to shore, while 
the entrenched Danes greeted us with scores 
of blue beans. 

“‘What whistles so shrilly?’ I heard the 
king inquire of Major Stuart, who stood next 
to him. 

“ ‘ It is the noise of the musket-balls which 
they fire upon your majesty,’ he replied. 

“ ‘ Very well,’ said the king ; ‘ that for the 
future shall be the music of my life.’ 

“Scarcely had the last words passed his 
lips when a ball struck the major on the 
shoulder, while the lieutenant at the other 
side of the king fell dead at his feet. On 
the instant I sprang to the major’s assist- 
ance, and could not resist looking into the 
face of the king to see what he thought of 
this affair, which was no joke, I can assure 
you, boys. His eyes flashed, and the whist- 
ling bullets apparently troubled him as little 
5is though they had been so many sugar- 


COPENHAGEN. 6/ 

plums. He enjoyed thoroughly the excite- 
ment of the danger. 

“Seeing me he cried, *Roos, support the 
major. Forward, my noble Swedes ! The 
sooner we reach the shore, the sooner will 
we drive the enemy out of their entrench- 
ments !’ 

“And forward we went as to a dance. 
When they saw us so dauntlessly advancing, 
they took to their heels ; the king mounted 
the trenches, the soldiers following after ; and 
now we were masters of the flat land, and 
had Copenhagen pretty securely within our 
grasp. Encamping, we made preparations at 
once for the bombardment of the city. But 
it did not go that far: the town, fearing its 
destruction, sent deputies to the king entreat- 
ing him to spare them. Charles, being neither 
inhuman nor bloodthirsty, and hoping besides 
to effect some advantageous arrangement, 
changed his design and gave them the prom- 


68 


THE IRON HEAD. 


ise that he would desist from the bombard- 
ment, but that he would require, instead, the 
sum of four hundred thousand rix dollars. 
This demand was at once complied with, con- 
tributing not a little toward the expenses of 
the war. The stipulation was made at the 
same time that they should regularly supply 
our army with provisions, which the king 
expressly ordered should be honestly paid 
for. 

This last requisition was a little too much 
for the deputies, 'but our king was victor, and 
nothing was left them but to obey. Pro- 
visions were accordingly brought into camp 
in great wagons, and, to the surprise of the 
Danes, we Swedes paid so honestly and honor- 
ably that the result was, the farmers preferred 
bringing their produce into camp to carrying 
it into the city, so that even the citizens were 
obliged to purchase a portion of their supplies 
from us. 


COPENHAGEN. 69 

That was Swedish military discipline, my 
lads. 

“ Many, to be sure, would have taken the 
provisions and kept the money in their 
pockets, but the king’s command was per- 
emptory, and each one was well aware that 
any violation of the order would be followed 
by instant and condign punishment. In 
such matters Charles XII. did not joke, 
boys : he was truly a great disciplinarian. 

“ The king of Denmark soon saw the ne- 
cessity of either doing justice to the duke of 
Holstein or having his capital destroyed. 
The arrangements were made, 'and a treaty 
was concluded in less than two weeks upon 
much the same terms as formerly.’ Thus was 
Charles’ first war at an end. Think you not, 
lads, that he could say, as well as Julius Caesar, 
Veni, vidi, vicif 

“And now the king turned his attention 
toward the other princes who had threatened 


70 THE IRON HEAD. 

him, and concluded to lead us first against 
Augustus of Saxony; but on his way he heard 
that a more formidable enemy than either he 
or the Danes, namely, Peter, czar of Russia, 
had laid siege to the Swedish fortress, Narva, 
with not less than eighty thousand men. But 
the number of the enemy made little dif- 
ference to our bold young king ; and although 
it was the depth of winter, and the Baltic 
scarcely navigable, he wasted no time in 
leading us against the Russians. When 
Peter heard that we were marching against 
him, he feared that his army of eighty thou- 
sand was not strong enough to cope with us 
handful' of Swedes, and set out to hasten the 
march of a reinforcement of forty thousand 
troops, which were on their way from the in- 
terior of Russia. The command before Narva 
he delivered meantime to his general, the 
Duke de Croy. 

“ It would have been certainly no great 


COPENHAGEN. J\ 

affair had the duke without ceremony, with 
an army of eighty thousand men and one 
hundred and forty-five cannon, taken so in- 
considerable a fortress as Narva, defended only 
by two thousand Swedes. But it had a brave 
governor. Count Horn, who had defended 
Narva boldly as a lion for more than two 
months. It was a point of honor for King 
Charles to succor his faithful general in his 
extremity, while upon the other side it de- 
pended upon Croy to keep us as far as prac- 
ticable from the fortress. ‘The czar had 
thrown every possible obstruction in our 
way : thirty thousand men were posted in a 
defile on the road to oppose our passage, this 
corps being sustained by a body of twenty 
thousand Strelitz, posted some leagues nearer 
Narva; so that before we could reach the 
camp we must force our way through an 
army of nearly sixty thousand men. 

“That was a hard nut, my lads, and re- 


72 THE IRON HEAD. 

quired truly hard teeth to crack it. But 
Charles could bite well — that he had shown 
us before Copenhagen — and we soldiers would 
have followed wherever he might have led, 
so great was the confidence with which he 
had inspired us. 

"‘We were only twenty thousand strong in 
Livonia, but Charles was much too impatient 
to hold back with his army. With four 
thousand foot and an equal number of horse, 
he set out in hasty march, leaving the rest to 
follow at their leisure. With eight thousand 
men did he march against eighty thousand, 
who were strongly entrenched. Ten Russians 
to every Swede ! Well might it be called a 
bold, reckless deed! We soldiers, and espe- 
cially those composing the body-guard, did not 
ask after the number of the enemy : the king 
in our eyes was a host in himself; but the 
officers — and I remember in particular an 
old Swedish general — expressed their doubts 


COPENHAGEN. 73 

about the result of such a mad act. Charles, 
hearing the old man’s demurs, rode up to him, 
and eyeing him sharply, said, * Do you doubt, 
sir, that I will be able to beat eighty thousand 
Russians with eight thousand Swedes ?’ The 
general answered as well as he possibly could 
under the circumstances: ‘Your Majesty sus- 
tained yourself well before Copenhagen, and 
with God there is nothing impossible.’ 

“ ‘ I can at once convince you that I am 
right,’ continued Charles. ‘You can see that 
I at least possess two advantages over the 
enemy : one is, that he will not be able to use 
his cavalry, and the other, that the enormous 
number of men will only be a hindrance 
rather than a help in the narrow defile.’ 

“ At the same time another officer took part 
gratuitously in the conversation, and in order 
to gain favor with the king, said, ‘ With your 
Majesty’s permission, I will remark that a 

great French general under whom I formerly 
7 


74 


THE IRON HEAD. 


served was wont to say before each battle, 
If the Lord remain neutral, we will certainly 
gain the victory.’ 

“But the malapert received an unexpected 
rebuke. He had not thought that the king 
had the fear of God before his eyes, and was 
some little astonished at the answer Charles 
returned. Looking at him askant, the king 
rejoined, curtly, ^ If you wish my opinion, sir, 
I have only to say that your great general 
spoke like a great fool.’ With these words 
he turned his back upon him and rode from 
the spot. The discomfited Frenchman looked 
after him so completely browbeaten that we 
grenadiers could not restrain a quiet laugh at 
his expense. 

“ Meanwhile, we pressed forward. The first 
Russian post had possessed themselves, as I 
said before, of a narrow defile on the road, 
where a few hundred men could easily have 
barred the progress of a large army; but 


COPENHAGEN. 75 

from the celerity and valor of our unexpected 
attack the Russians retreated in confusion, 
the disorganized mass in their wild flight 
alarming in turn the corps of twenty thous- 
and troops posted some leagues nearer Nar- 
va, who in their turn, supposing all was lost, 
rolled along in one resistless stream. 

“ Our king had no further difflculty in 
pushing his way, but the worst was now to 
come. Just before us was the camp, strongly 
fortified by redoubts, one hundred and fifty 
cannon opening upon us their gaping mouths, 
and defended by an army of eighty thousand 
men. Our breath was spent, but the king 
only gave us time for a few gasps and to 
wipe the sweat from our hot brows, when 
he suddenly pressed forward, and sounding 
his battle-cry, ^God with us!’ rushed upon 
the enemy. So speedy and violent was our 
attack that in three hours the entrenchments 
were carried. 


76 


THE IRON HEAD. 


Charles did not leave us now much time 
for thought: so soon as our ordnance had 
effected some breaches in the enemy’s en- 
trenchments, he ordered us to force our way 
through with fixed bayonets. 

“ I can tell you, lads, it was a solemn 
moment when that step was taken, for if 
God had not helped us, none of our little band 
would ever have come out alive. Our cause 
was j ust : God did not forsake us, but * girded 
us with strength unto the battle.’ A fearful 
storm of snow came down from heaven (it 
was now the 30th of November, 1700, and 
winter had set in early) ; the sharp, cold flakes 
and bitter, icy wind, driving in the faces of 
the enemy, disabled and rendered them unfit 
for service: the storm was upon our backs, 
and affected us but little. 

'‘I must confess that the Russians stood 
their ground boldly. They could not see our 
small number, and might well imagine that 


COPENHAGEN. 


77 


it was stronger than it in reality was. The 
king fought like an old general, displaying 
here at least a prudence, judgment and in- 
trepidity which amazed us and animated us 
with an intense desire to conquer. As he 
flew from wing to wing, wherever the battle 
raged fiercest, a shot grazed his shoulder. I 
saw him wince, but a bandage was bound be- 
low the wound to stop the bleeding, and he 
troubled himself no further about it. Scarcely 
had he again pressed into the midst of the fire 
when his horse was shot dead under him. He 
paid as little attention to this mishap as to the 
wound, and, gathering himself up, mounted 
another, but a cannon-ball struck this second 
horse also. For the third time he pressed 
on, saying coolly as he did so : * These fel- 
lows find me exercise.’ Not a thought did 
he apparently bestow upon the danger in 
which he stood, leading us ever deeper and 
deeper into the enemy’s midst, until on a 

7 • 


y8 THE IRON HEAD. 

sudden his horse fell into a morass : he ex- 
tricated himself quickly, but one of his boots 
he left in the mud and mire. I was near 
enough to render him some little assistance, 
and, seeing the accident, drew my boot off, 
and handing it to him, said, 

“ ^ Here, your Majesty, is another.’ 

“ ‘ Thank you, Roos,’ he cried, hoarsely, for 
the powder and shouting had affected his 
voice ; ^ there is no time for that and, spring- 
ing nimbly on his horse, fought in stocking 
and boot as indifferently and indefatigably as 
though nothing special had happened. 

'‘After three hours, three mortal hours, 
lads — their memory will never pass away 
while life remains — we carried the entrench- 
ments, as I said before. The king, with the 
four thousand men that composed the wing 
he commanded in person, pursued the flying 
army of fifty thousand Russians to the river 
Narva, then the ‘ demoralized mass rushed 


COPENHAGEN. yg 

wildly upon the bridge, which broke down,^ 
and the poor fugitives that were not precipi- 
tated into the cold, icy stream were obliged 
to return in despair to their camp, which as 
^yet stood firm. But few, however, reached it. 
Charles, I am proud to say, acted very hu- 
manely; he detained only the most distin- 
guished officers, dismissing without ceremony 
the unarmed subalterns and soldiers after we 
reached Narva. Our king behaved with the 
greatest generosity to the conquered. It pleases 
me well, boys, to dwell upon this battle and 
upon the humanity Charles exhibited: how 
we Swedes loved and honored him for it! 
But I must continue : in the excitement and 
haste, they counseled what should be done 
with the prisoners. One of the generals pro- 
posed that they should be put to the sword : 
this roused the indignation of the king; he 
rebuked him sternly, and ordered instead that 
the poor exhausted creatures should, as far as 


80 THE IRON HEAD. 

practicable, be provided with food and drink. 
After he had restored to them their liberty, 
he ordered his adjutant, Baumann, to read in 
the presence of the general who had made 
the inhuman proposition the eighteenth chap- 
ter of the Gospel of Matthew, and at its close 
added himself these words : ‘ Mark well, gene- 
ral ! if the Lord has forgiven us ten thousand 
pounds, we may well afford to give to our 
fellow-servants an hundred groschen.* You 
would do well, lads, to read and ponder the 
beautiful lessons that our blessed Lord has 
given us in that chapter. 

Although Charles failed to obey many of 
the teachings of that Holy Book, he never- 
theless prized it highly: often have I seen 
him reading its sacred pages. What a king 
he would have been, lads, could he only have 
governed his own spirit! but his head of 
steel 1 his head of steel ! As I said, * it laid 
a snare for him in the ground and a trap for 


COPENHAGEN. 8l 

him in the way.’” The old man paused in 
his narration, and for a few moments gazed 
abstractedly into the glowing flames of the 
beacon-fire, then with a heavy sigh continued 
his story : 

“ Meantime, it had become dark, and the 
king, wrapping his mantle around him, laid 
himself down upon the ground, the fresh- 
fallen snow his bed and the clouded sky his 
canopy. His dreams could not have been 
of the pleasantest, for, notwithstanding our 
victorious day, he knew that the right wing 
of the enemy still held firm, and was strong 
enough to defeat our handful of Swedes, if 
it were God’s will. But the clemency and 
generosity of our king brought now their 
own reward. Our Saviour has said : ‘ Blessed 
are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy 
and we proved its truth at this time, lads. 
During the night, about two o’clock. General 

Vede, who commanded the right wing of the 
F 


82 


THE IRON HEAD. 


Russians, knowing of the clemency with which 
Charles had treated his prisoners, offered his 
surrender to the young hero under similar 
stipulations, the king’s answer being that his 
only requisition was that the general should 
appear before him at the head of his troops, 
laying down their standards and arms. And 
this actually was done ; thirty thousand Rus- 
sian officers and men marched through our 
ranks with uncovered heads, and laid down 
their arms and standards at the feet of our 
king, Charles XII. of Sweden. Our whole 
army of seven thousand men (one thousand 
had perished in the struggle) stood in line, 
not a little proud of the result which we 
had won through God’s good help and the 
invincible bravery of our young monarch. 
Again Charles dismissed the unarmed sol- 
diers and retained only the officers. 

^‘The Czar was meantime advancing with 
his forty thousand men when he received 


COPENHAGEN. 83 

news of the total defeat of his army ; but he 
was truly a great man, and although chagrined, 
as you may well suppose, bore the humilia- 
tion with manly fortitude, and comforted him- 
self with the hope ‘that the Swedes would 
in time teach the Russians to beat them.’ 

“ It had not taken us long to accomplish 
all this, and to this very day the battle of 
Narva is a sore point with the Russians. 
Even after they had recovered from their 
defeat they could not comprehend how we 
eight thousand Swedes had put to flight an 
army of eighty thousand men. Many firmly 
believed it was the effect of witchcraft, and 
asserted that we had dealings with evil spirits, 
and that our king through this agency was 
proof against ball, blow and thrust. Sorcery, 
indeed ! Our help was from God in heaven 
and the prowess of our king. 

“All was regulated at that time, lads, by 
line and plummet. After we had beaten the 


84 the iron head. 

Danes and Russians in 1703, we gained a 
victory over the Saxon Polish king, and set 
Stanislaus Leszcynski on the throne of Po- 
land in his stead, extorting, at the same time, 
a peace which promised great advantages to 
Sweden. 

“ Now was Charles’ glory at its height : 
the whole world feared and honored him; 
our army was counted the best in Europe, 
and truly it could not have been exceeded for 
discipline, bravery and the most unbounded 
confidence in its leader. Then, too, all were 
surprised at the ‘ disinterestedness of the con- 
queror, who, strange to say, had not demanded 
one inch of ground for his own glory or for 
that of his realm.’ 

“ It was about this same time that he 
obliged the emperor of Germany to extend 
protection to the Protestants in Silesia — an- 
other noble deed, my lads, and well worthy 
of praise. The souls of them that were slain 


COPENHAGEN. 


85 


for the word of God and for the testimony 
which they held had cried with a loud voice, 
saying, 'How long, O Lord, holy and true, 
dost thou not judge and avenge our blood 
on them that dwell on the earth ?’ and God 
heard and sent deliverance. ' The king stipu- 
lated that the Lutherans should be allowed full 
liberty of conscience ; the emperor dared not 
refuse, and upward of one hundred churches 
were given to them where God could be wor- 
shiped in purity and in truth. When the 
pope’s inter-nuncio reproached the emperor 
for these concessions, saying that 'it was a 
most shameful condescension for a Catholic 
emperor like him to sacrifice the interest of 
his own religion to that of heretics,’ he re- 
plied, with a smile, 'You may think yourself 
very happy that the king of Sweden did not 
propose to make me a Lutheran; for if he 
had, I do not know what I might have done.’ 
All circumstances seemed to combine to weave 


86 


THE IRON HEAD. 


an imperishable crown for the brow of our 
king. Ah, boys, ‘ the lot is cast into the lap ; 
but the whole disposing thereof is of the 
Lord.’ A change came, and the bright efful- 
gence of this glorious star began to pale 
until its beams were extinguished in the dark 
night of death. The days of rejoicing had 
passed, and now came the long night of 
gloom and desolation, the very enemy whom 
we had defeated at Narva being now our 
troubler. 

Far better had it been for the king and 
Sweden had a peace at this time been .con- 
cluded. Charles imagined that he could de- 
throne the czar as readily as he had Augus- 
tus of Saxony (surnamed the Strong), but he 
failed. Peter, though not called * the Strong,’ 
proved to us that his talons and pinions had 
grown mightily since the battle of Narva. 

“ But I must hasten. I would willingly 
stop here, lads, for from this time dates all 


COPENHAGEN. 8/ 

our misfortune and trouble. I bear about 
me to this very day an unpleasant remem- 
brance of those evil times, for I received such 
a blow upon my skull from a Russian sabre 
that I will carry the scar to the day of my 
death. I must confess that the Russians 
fought bravely. My wound, however, was 
but a trifling consideration : my life was spared 
by the mercy of God ; but this battle almost 
cost the king his crown and kingdom. 

‘^But I am going on too fast, lads, and 
must retrace my steps. 

“ We remained one year in Saxony at the 
expense of the elector, and Charles had mean- 
while not only gathered considerable treas- 
ure, but had reinforced his army with some 
twenty thousand men. About this time it 
was when we received orders for a general 
move. At first we were heartily glad, for we 
expected without doubt that we would march 
direct for Sweden, which we had not seen 


88 


THE IRON HEAD. 


for SO many long years, but we were not yet 
to see our Fatherland. Instead of marching 
north we returned to Poland, and found we 
were again to cope with our old enemy, the 
Russians, and we had not long to wait until 
we met in hot conflict. Near the Dnieper 
we encountered a body of twenty thousand 
grenadiers and nine regiments of cavalry, 
under Prince Mentchikof, prepared to make 
a vigorous resistance and hinder our march. 
To conquer seemed out of the reach of hu- 
man power : before them lay a swollen river 
and great morass ; their flanks were protected 
by vast forests. Our generals counseled that 
we should build pontoons and erect batteries, 
but Charles protested against all this cere- 
mony, and, recklessly plunging into the raging 
stream, forced his way across, the guards 
and the rest of the army after him, for the 
motto of Swedes has ever been, * Follow our 
king.’ Breast high we stemmed the flood, and 


COPENHAGEN. 89 

attacked their redoubt with vigor. The Rus- 
sians stood as a wall ; six times we were re- 
pulsed, the seventh we were successful : the 
enemy fled, leaving in our hands eight thou- 
sand prisoners and thirty-six pieces of ord- 
nance. 

“ This victory only made the king haughty 
and arrogant. We are warned in the Holy 
Book, lads, that a * haughty spirit goeth be- 
fore a fall ^ every one that is proud in heart 
is an abomination to the Lord : though hand 
join in hand, he shall not be unpunished;’ 
but, alas ! his heart was lifted up, and he ‘ for- 
gat the works of God and his wonders that 
he had showed him, though he had com- 
manded the clouds from above and opened 
the doors of heaven.’ He could at this time 
have effected an honorable peace, but he re- 
turned the proud answer: *I will treat with 
the czar at Moscow.’ This being reported to 

Peter, he replied : ‘ My brother Charles affects 
8 ^ 


90 THE IRON HEAD. 

to play Alexander, but he will not find in me 
a Darius.’ 

“ He was not disappointed. But we must 
defer our relation until we make the beacon- 
fire somewhat brighter than it now is : the 
flames begin to glow faintly, boys, while the 
tempest without howls still fiercer than be- 
fore.” 

The interruption was not agreeable, but 
the cadets, accustomed to prompt obedience, 
started to their feet, rendering the requisite 
assistance to the old warder. 





CHAPTER III. 

POLTAVA AND BENDER. 

A ND now the clear, bright glow gleamed 
anew far over the sea, and the old 
warder and his youthful guests, their duty 
conscientiously discharged, disposed them- 
selves as before around the oaken table and 
resumed the interrupted narration. One last 
searching look the old man cast into the 
stormy night, listening meanwhile intently if 
perchance he could distinguish amid the 
howling of the blast and the deep roaring 
of the sea the dreaded signal of distress. 
But no sound met his ear save the fearful 
tumult of the unchained elements. Seating 

himself tranquilly, therefore, in his old arm- 

91 


92 


THE IRON HEAD. 


chaii^ after a short pause and the vigorous 
clearing of the throat, he again began : 

“ Where was I, lads ? Ah, yes, yes, I re- 
member: I was just telling you about the 
czar’s propositions of peace, which were 
rejected by Charles with such disdain — a 
fatal error upon his part, for he could have 
“made at this time the most advantageous 
stipulations without trusting to the uncer- 
tain fortune of war; but upon war he was 
obstinately bent, and no persuasions could 
induce him to change his revive. 

Perchance things would have been differ- 
ent could we have marched direct to Moscow, 
but the intensely cold weather was coming 
on, and the czar had meanwhile rendered 
the roads almost impassable. Then, too, be- 
yond all else, ‘ Mazeppa, chief of the Ukraine, 
anxious to shake off the yoke of Russia 
and make himself independent master of that 
nation,’ sent to the king an embassy which 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. 93 

was instructed to enter into a treaty, promis- 
ing to assist him in his daring project of 
deposing the czar, offering to place at his 
disposal at least thirty thousand men, ‘ large 
stores of provision and ammunition, together 
with all his treasure, which was immense.’ 
Accordingly, we marched to the Ukraine, 
hoping to obtain what we at this time so 
greatly needed — food, money and clothing. 
These were certainly great inducements, for 
we were in truth far from being in the same 
condition as when we left the rich fields of 
Saxony. The march, the battle, the bivouac, 
with all the other hardships of war, had done 
their work. We looked like a horde of beg- 
gars, or savages rather, for we supplied our 
deficiencies of clothing, as far as practicable, 
with the skins of wild animals. But under all 
these untoward circumstances we preserved 
our courage and vigor: our eyes were fixed 
upon the promised land of the Ukraine, where 


94 the iron head. 

we should enjoy the many and rich blessings 
in store for us. We were also expecting sup- 
plies of men and provision at the hands of 
General Lowenhaupt from Poland. 

“ But ah, boys, we were grievously disap- 
pointed. Hungry and almost naked, we had 
to encounter the greatest difficulties. Like 
the Israelites, we wandered through a wilder- 
ness : it was filled with marshy forests. Four 
days were we in this sorrowful plight, leaving 
the greater part of our artillery imbedded in 
its horrible bogs. To complete our misfor- 
tunes, we found we had lost our way. After 
encountering almost incredible hardships and 
obstacles during twelve long days, we at last 
reached the banks of the Desna; here we 
confidently expected to meet Mazeppa with 
his longed-for supplies. A new disappoint- 
ment, however, awaited us; instead of the 
Cossack, we found an army of Russians pre- 
pared to dispute our farther progress. 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. 95 

*‘What was now to be done? To return 
was impossible. Our army was spent and 
almost famished. We must conquer or die. 
Upon the last alternative Charles thought but 
little. It was truly a desperate encounter, 
and we reaped in the end but little benefit 
therefrom. The czar had meanwhile discov- 
ered the faithlessness and designs of Mazep- 
pa, defeated and dispersed his adherents, laid 
his towns in ashes,’ and taken all the supplies 
collected for our troops. After we had beaten 
the Russian army Mazeppa made his appear- 
ance, but instead of bringing with him thirty 
thousand men, as he had promised, he had 
difficulty in collecting about six thousand 
Cossacks in as pitiable a condition as our- 
selves. The old fellow had done his utmost, 
to be sure, but the Russians had been too 
quick for him, and his ambitious designs had 
been nipped in the bud. 

*‘Our last hope lay now upon General 


96 THE IRON HEAD. 

Lowenhaupt, to whom Charles had sent or- 
ders to meet him upon entering the Ukraine 
with fifteen thousand Swedes and a large 
supply of provisions. But Peter lay in wait 
upon the Russian border with forty thousand 
troops, and fell upon him as soon as he made 
his appearance. He was soon obliged to re- 
treat, and they continued their march, with 
the czar close upon their heels, through a 
marshy country where the roads had been 
rendered almost impassable by deep ditches 
and barriers of fallen trees. Peter had now 
gained his object. When the brave general 
was completely ensnared, he was the second 
time attacked by the entire army, but our 
Swedes struggled with the might of despair : 
the Russians were routed and upon the point 
of being totally defeated when the czar, spring- 
ing to the rear-guard, gave orders to the Cos- 
sacks to fire upon all who fled. * Even kill 


.i.- 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. 97 

me (said he) should I be so cowardly as to 
turn my back.’ 

“ His example inspired them with fresh 
courage. Like a swarm of bees they gath- 
ered around the Swedish battalion and the 
provision wagons, which last they longed to 
plunder, but Peter again gave orders * that if 
any so much as laid their hands upon the wag- 
ons they should be shot.’ The conflict was 
renewed with vigor, and lasted without inter- 
mission until four o’clock in the afternoon, 
when General Bayer led up a strong reinforce- 
ment of Russian troops. ‘ The Swedes now 
took possession of an advantageous post,’ 
using their wagons as a sort of rampart. At 
early dawn the following morning the battle 
was renewed, and Lowenhaupt, seeing the im- 
possibility of saving the baggage, gave orders 
that it should be set on fire to prevent it from 
falling into the hands of the enemy. The 
flames, however, did not spread quickly 


98 THE- IRON HEAD. 

enough, for the Russians succeeded in secur- 
ing the greater part of the supplies that were 
intended for our exhausted and famished 
troops. An honorable capitulation was of- 
fered to General Lowenhaupt, but he refused 
it with disdain, and a third time was the bat- 
tle renewed with the same spirit as before. 
Our friends reached us at last, covered with 
renown, to be sure, but in a most forlorn con- 
dition, and without the supplies in which lay 
our last help and hope. 

“ Instead of proving an assistance to us, 
they were only another hindrance in our path. 
With the addition of Lowenhaupt’s dispirited 
troops and Mazeppa’s defeated Cossacks, we 
only numbered about twenty-eight thousand 
men — to cope with the enemy much too few, 
and for our limited supply of provision much 
too many. We were now as securely caught 
as a mouse in the trap. 

“ Until this time, lads, we Swedes had scarce- 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. 99 

ly murmured, but general dissatisfaction began 
to manifest itself. To fight the Russians was 
not so bad, but now we had to contend with 
hunger and cold. One of my comrades, who 
from youth up had been accustomed to a 
good table, dared to remonstrate with the 
king about the food, showing him at the same 
time a piece of our black, mouldy bread, 
which was made of oats and barley, asking 
him if such food was fit to be eaten. The 
king, taking it from his hand, ate it, saying 
coldly, ^ It is not good, but it may be eaten,’ 
and eat it we did, like the Pomeranian lad 
who said that the swine’s flesh in his coun- 
try was so fat that no one could eat of it. 
‘ What is done with it, then ?’ was the query. 
^We eat it,’ he answered, coolly, and so it 
was with our bread. Our poor horses were 
also put upon scant allowance, feeding upon 
that which was in truth not fit for any animal 
to eat. You could easily count the ribs of 


lOO 


THE IRON HEAD. 


the poor creatures, and many of them that 
winter required no more oats for ever. 

“ Lowenhaupt now entreated the king to 
return to Poland and take up his winter-quar- 
ters there, predicting our utter ruin if we re- 
mained where we now were. But all his im- 
portunities were in vain. Charles had set his 
iron head against it and closed his perverse 
ear to every reasonable remonstrance. ‘ There 
is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but 
the end thereof are the ways of death. Be- 
fore destruction,’ the holy book warns us, lads, 
* the heart of man is haughty,’ and so it was 
with our king. His froward spirit refused in- 
struction; and ‘thorns and snares are in the 
way’ of those who perversely set themselves 
against counsel. It is ever so. I wish to im- 
press this lesson particularly upon you, Elf- 
dal, for you have many a time reminded me 
of him I am now telling you about. This 
one fault clouded his otherwise glorious life. 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. 


lOl 


‘/draw back to Poland!’ was his haughty an- 
swer. ‘ That would look like fleeing before 
the Russians. The winter will take care of 
itself. I can lose no time in pressing on to 
Moscow.’ Truly a ‘man’s heart deviseth 
his way, but the Lord directeth his steps.’ 
Charles did not reach Moscow or subdue the 
Ukraine, and the winter did not take care of 
itself. The fearful cold and hardships of the 
winter of 1709 will never fade from the re- 
membrance of those who experienced it. It 
commenced soon after New Year’s. Most of 
our horses perished, and thousands of our 
soldiers dropped dead with cold and hunger. 
Even the very fish in the streams froze. As 
late as the month of May the Baltic Sea was 
covered with ice full ten miles out from the 
coast, and the earth was frozen until the very 
middle of the same month. 

“You can scarely imagine, boys, what a 
fearful condition we were in. Had it not been 


102 


THE IRON HEAD. 


for the wood, of which we had no lack, there 
would not have been a man of us left. One 
good resulted from the cold, however : it 
caused ^ suspension of hostilities between the 
two armies. Mazeppa proved a true friend 
in need, doing his very utmost to forage for 
us. About the middle of February our skir- 
mishing again commenced. 

“ Charles, in the midst of all these discour- 
agements, never gave up the project of taking 
Moscow, and although our army was now 
reduced to eighteen thousand men, his inflex- 
ible will swerved not. Before we could reach 
Moscow we must first take Poltava, upon 
the eastern frontier of the Ukraine, which was 
well fortified and furnished with vast maga- 
zines of provisions. The czar at this time 
sought to alienate Mazeppa from us, offering 
to take him again in his favor and to rein- 
state him in all his former dignity if he only 
deserted our king, but the brave old man 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. IO3 

remained faithful, refusing all his offers. 
Charles would gladly have had the Zapo- 
rogues, through whose country we were 
obliged to pass, as confederates — the czar 
also, who bribed them with sixty thousand 
florins. They took his money, but neverthe- 
less declared themselves for our king. For 
this we had to thank old Mazeppa, who un- 
derstood how to manage them far better than 
we. To be sure, they were not of much use 
to us, but they suffered us to pass through 
their country without doing us any injury. 
Only two thousand of them joined our troops. 
Beside these, Charles hired some two thou- 
sand Walachians. With this motley army 
we now pressed on to Poltava, ravenous as 
wolves for the rich stores which no soldiers 
in the world knew better how to use than we. 
The king commenced the siege at once, but 
it did not progress as quickly and success- 
fully as he hoped. The place was strong, 


104 


THE IRON HEAD. 


and defended by full eight thousand of a gar- 
rison. We had neither men enough to storm 
it nor ammunition enough to bombard it. 
There were only eighteen cannon, and such a 
dearth of balls that we were compelled to wait 
until they were sent to us from the fortress. 
These we gathered laboriously together, re- 
turning them again to the besieged. But all 
our efforts availed not : we were repulsed in 
every assault. Our iron-headed king for once 
in his life was obliged to wait. This you may 
know was a sore trial to his impatient spirit. 
Hard as his head was, he was unable to bat- 
ter down the walls of the fortress. If he 
would take Poltava, he must first starve the 
garrison, and this, with their vast stores of 
provision, could necessarily progress but 
slowly. 

“ The proverb asserts that misfortunes never 
come singly, and truly such was the case with 
us. The king had hitherto escaped in so mi- 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. IO5 

raculous a manner that he really began to im- 
agine himself proof against stroke, stab and 
ball. Alas ! ‘ his heart was lifted up with 
pride, and he forgat to praise, extol and honor 
the King of heaven, before whom all the in- 
habitants of the earth are reputed as nothing, 
who doeth according to his will in the army 
of heaven and among the inhabitants of the 
earth;’ who has said, ‘Those that walk in pride 
I am able to abase.’ At Poltava the glory of 
our king was taken from him. Alas ! God was 
no longer with us as heretofore. We fought 
not now for his honor or for that of our beloved 
Fatherland, but to gratify the ambition of a 
king whose heart had become hardened in 
pride, and who had forgotten in his arrogance 
that ‘ the most high God ruleth in the kingdom 
of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will.’ 
Charles received at Poltava, in his left foot, a 
shot from a carbine which shattered the bone 
of his heel. No one was any the wiser of it: 


io6 


THE IRON HEAD. 


for several hours after it occurred he remained 
upon horseback giving orders with ^ great 
composure, until he fainted from the loss of 
blood and was carried to his tent.’ A sur- 
geon was then brought, who, after examining 
the wound, gave it as his opinion that ampu- 
tation would be absolutely necessary, as the 
wound had begun to mortify. To this treat- 
ment Charles would not submit. While he 
was dispi^ting about it, it suddenly occurred 
to me that Newman, the surgeon of our 
German regiment, might possibly entertain 
a different opinion. Going at once in search 
of him, I brought him providentially to the 
king. He undertook to save the foot if 
Charles would allow him to make some deep 
incisions. Seizing his leg, the king held it 
firmly, saying, 'Fall to work, then; cut boldly 
and fear nothing.’ 

" I was in his tent, lads, hearing and seeing 
all that took place. He watched the opera- 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. 10/ 

tion coolly, without so much as even a dis- 
tortion of his countenance. Whilst this was 
going on, news came that the czar was ap- 
proaching with his whole army. With his 
usual self-possession he replied, ‘ Then all 
must be in readiness for an attack to-mor- 
row.’ ” 

At this moment the narration suffered an 
unexpected interruption. Springing from his 
chair and hurriedly opening the little window 
of the tower, the old warder leaned eagerly 
out, heedless of the wild wind that played 
fiercely with his gray locks and the driving 
rain that beat upon his unprotected head. 

What is it, Roos ?” cried Olav Sparre as 
he and his two companions after him sprang 
to the window. 

“ Did you not hear? A shot! and now an- 
other!” exclaimed the old man as after a 
short interval the hollow reverberation shook 
the air. 


io8 


THE IRON HEAD. 


“ I hear !” cried Elfdal. “ I see the flash ; 
listen ! you will hear the report of a third 
shot in a moment.” 

“A ship is in danger of being wrecked 
upon the treacherous reefs,” said the old 
warder, sadly. “ God willing, there may still 
be time to save it if only a pilot be sent at 
once from Marstrand. It is still some dis- 
tance from the ridge. Olav, my lad, fly 
quickly down to the harbor and tell your 
father not to lose a moment in sending out 
the pilot-boat. God grant that there may yet 
be time ! Poor fellows ! poor fellows ! they 
must be saved.” 

The three lads, seizing their caps, prepared 
at once to obey. Elfdal,” cried the old war- 
der, hurriedly and authoritatively — “ Elfdal 
can go with you, but Ronne must stay. I 
may need him here, and at any rate two mes- 
sengers are enough to send to the harbor.” 

The cadet returned to the guard-room, 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. IO9 

while his comrades ran down the height 
as though the storm had lent to them its 
wings. 

“There is not much doubt that they will 
reach the spot in time,” said the old man, 
turning to Ronne; “and if the colonel loses 
not a moment with the boat, we need no 
longer fear for the threatened ship. Let us, 
meanwhile, send out a still intenser glow to 
cheer and save, perchance, those poor tem- 
pest-tossed mariners.” The rain had mean- 
time almost ceased, the clouds parting and 
rolling themselves into rent gigantic heaps. 
Here and there could be seen bright stars 
gleaming through the openings, and at length 
the full moon poured her mild, clear light 
over the foaming sea. In that moment they 
could plainly distinguish a large ship strug- 
gling against the heaving billows. 

“ There she is ! there !” exclaimed the war- 
der, pointing over the water. “ Do you not 
10 




no 


THE IRON HEAD. 


see her ? A staunch ship she is, too. Hold 
out a little longer, my brave fellows, until the 
pilot comes, and then — ” 

“ See ! see, Roos ! the boat has just shot 
out from behind that cliff,” cried Ronne, in- 
terrupting him. It will soon reach her. 
She flies like a sea-gull.” 

Where, my lad, where ?” questioned the 
old man, eagerly. “ Who could see such a 
nutshell by this faint light? Ah, you have 
young eyes, Ronne. Ha! now, yes, there 
she is I I saw her glide like an arrow through 
a bright streak that the moon cast over the 
water. Now, methinks, there is no further 
danger to apprehend. They have the light- 
house and the moon, and he must be a bad 
pilot who with such beacons could not steer 
clear of the dangerous reef and find his way 
to the harbor. But I have lost sight of her 
now. Where is she, my lad ?” 

“ Hard by the ship,” replied the young 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. 


Ill 


cadet, who had never lost sight of her for a 
single moment. 

“ Now watch how the pilot will steer,” said 
the warder, gazing fixedly at the reeling ship 
and upheaving billows. They mount up tp 
the heaven,” murmured the old man. ‘ They 
go down again to the depths. Their soul is 
melted because of trouble. They reel to and 
fro and stagger like a drunken man, and are 
at their wits’ end.’ See, see !” he then cried 
aloud as a heavy cloud passed which had for 
a few moments enveloped all in the deepest 
gloom. “ They have escaped the dangerous 
point, and in less than fifteen minutes will lie 
secure at anchor. ‘ Then they cry unto the 
Lord in their trouble,’” he continued as be- 
fore, and ‘he bringeth them to their desired 
haven. Oh that men would praise the Lord 
for his goodness and for his wonderful works 
to the children of men !’ That was truly help 
in need, Ronne. If Colonel Sparre had not. 


II2 


THE IRON HEAD. 


by God’s good guidance, sent you lads up 
here, in all probability not one soul on board 
of that brave ship would have ever seen the 
light of another day. From below one can 
hear the report of the gun, but cannot see 
the flash and know by that means where 
the ship lies that is in danger. The colonel 
is always on duty. Many another would not 
have had the boat in readiness. The loss of 
a few moments, and all human help would 
have been in vain. Olav and Elfdal must 
have almost flown down the hill. Brave, true 
Swedish hearts ! who could help but love the 
bold lads ? See there ! there below, Ronne ! 
The ship ! they cast anchor ! she is safe ! vic- 
tory ! she is safe !” 

Even at that very instant the staunch ves- 
sel, which had stood in peril of shipwreck 
upon the reef, now lay secure, and the faith- 
ful old warder, after a searching look over the 
sea, returned with Ronne to the guard-room. 


t 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. II3 

think,” said he, cheerily, “we have noth- 
ing more to fear to-night The storm has 
spent its rage and the sky is becoming more 
and more serene. One can see the coast now 
with tolerable distinctness for some distance 
out at sea. It is not likely that I will need 
you any longer, my lad, and if you would like 
to join your comrades, I have not the least 
objection. All danger is over, I think, for 
this night. Go, my son ; you have done your 
duty.” 

“ But I would rather not, warder. Even if 
I had not been ordered here on guard, I would 
not go. I do not leave until you bring your 
story to a close. Why, the greater part of the 
night is still before us.” 

“ So the story holds you fast, my boy ? You 
shall hear it, then, and the others too, if they 
return, but I think it probable they will be 
prudent and remain in.Marstrand.” 

“ Hillo! we are not such simpletons as that, 
10 * H 


II4 THE IRON HEAD. 

father Roos !” cried the cheery voice of Olav 
Sparre as he stepped upon the platform, ac- 
companied by Elfdal and a stranger. “ Here 
we are again, old friend — a little bit wet, to be 
sure, but as fresh and merry as ever. Father 
bade me thank you for your vigilance, warder, 
and say that it should certainly be placed in 
its proper light. You sent us in the very nick 
of time. A few minutes’ delay, and the ship 
would have been dashed upon the rocks.” 

“ It is easy to see from this height,” mod- 
estly returned the old man; “and this is a bad 
coast if one is not used to navigate it. But 
what ship was it, Olav? It seemed an un- 
usually large and gallant vessel.” 

“ It was, warder,” said the lad — “ one of the 
very best of our Swedish frigates, the ‘Tor- 
stenson,’ carrying sixty cannon. And this 
stranger who accompanies me was one of the 
passengers, who desires personally to thank 
you, warder and, if you will permit it, listen 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. II5 

with US to your story. When he found that 
we were about returning to the tower, he 
asked permission to accompany us, and here 
we all are.” 

The old warder eyed the stranger keenly 
for a moment, feeling convinced in his own 
mind, as he did so, that he was a person of 
some distinction. He was still young, and 
from his noble face beamed forth kindliness 
and grace. Greeting him courteously, the 
old man invited him to be seated in the guard- 
room, saying: 

“You are heartily welcome, sir, to the little 
I have to offer — merely a warm room and a 
gossip about old times.” 

“That is just what I want,” said the 
stranger. “I heard incidentally from our 
young friends here that you were a brother 
in arms of our bold King Charles, and, as my 
sleep has been disturbed for the night, I in- 
vited myself to return with them. It would 


Il6 THE IRON HEAD. 

please me were you to continue your narra- 
tive without allowing my presence to disturb 
you. I myself had the pleasure of seeing the 
king shortly before he received the fatal shot 
before Frederickshald.’' 

“You, sir!’' exclaimed the old soldier, in 
surprise. “You must have been very young 
then.” 

“ I was. I had accompanied my father, an 
officer in the king’s service, who wished me 
to become accustomed thus early in life to 
the fatigues and hardships of war.” 

“Ah, I understand. Then we are partly 
comrades too, for I also was at Frederickshald, 
and these arms helped bear the hero to his 
^ent. You are doubly welcome, friend. I 
greet you from my very heart.” 

Extending his hand, the old soldier grasped 
that of the stranger, shaking it heartily. The 
cadets now begged the warder to resume his 
story. 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. 11/ 

'' Not yet, not yet, lads,” said the old man; 
“ we must first have a cup of tea, which I am 
sure will not prove unwelcome to our guest, 
and you young fellows, too, will not hesitate, I 
know, to partake of it, particularly after your 
bath of rain and sea-water. I shall require 
your assistance, Olav, for a few moments.” 

This proposition was welcomed, by all, 
and soon the cheering, refreshing beverage 
steamed upon the oaken table. Drawing their 
wooden chairs cosily around it, they heartily 
enjoyed the warder’s hospitality. The cadets 
again pressing him to resume his story, the 
old man began. 

“ We left off, I think, at Poltava,” said he. 
“ I was telling you about the wound that 
Charles received in his foot. While it was 
being dressed he actually planned the assault 
for the following day, after which he laid him- 
self composedly down, and slept as though 
nothing especial had taken place. With the 


Il8 THE IRON HEAD. 

dawn of day he was again ready for action.. 
Our army was not lacking in courage, but the 
forces were too unequal to inspire us with the 
requisite enthusiasm and hope of success. 
The czar’s army amounted to sixty-five thou- 
sand men and one hundred and thirty-two 
cannon, while with our inconsiderable force 
we had only four cannon ; besides, to prevent 
an attack in our rear, Charles had stationed 
a strong corps before Poltava, leaving four 
thousand men to protect our baggage. 

The prospect was not an inspiriting 
one. As far as the eye could reach the field 
swarmed with Russians, but we were resolved 
to conquer or die. Our officers, riding all 
along the lines, encouraged us by reminding 
us of Narva. The king, sword in hand and 
carried in his litter, seemed to be everywhere 
present. Our cavalry, under General Schlip- 
penbach, made the attack, rushing upon the 
enemy with such impetuosity that they gave 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. II9 

way like chaff before the wind. We believed 
that the day was won, and won I have no 
doubt it would have been had not General 
Kreutz made an unfortunate and fatal mistake. 
The king had despatched him with five thou- 
sand cavalry to attack the enemy’s flank, but, 
as I said before, he committed a sad blunder, 
if blunder it can be called, which occasioned 
the loss of the battle. Meantime the czar 
gathered together his discouraged cavalry, 
and they returned to the charge with such 
vigor that our troops were in their turn disor- 
dered, and General Schlippenbach himself was 
taken prisoner. And now the infantry marched 
against the flaming mouths of the Russian 
cannon. Whole lines were swept away. 
That was a fearful conflict, lads, and in the 
end we were compelled to retire. Peter now 
ordered Mentchikof with a strong corps to 
post himself between us and the fortress, cut- 
ting us off thereby from all communication 


120 


THE IRON HEAD. 


with our camp. The baggage and the besieg- 
ing army fell into the hands of the Russians. 
The king did all in his power to restore or- 
der, but it was in vain. Both horses in his 
litter were killed by a cannon-ball, and scarce- 
ly were others put in their place when a sec- 
ond broke the litter itself in pieces and over- 
turned the king. But this affected not his 
iron will. He was placed at once in a second 
litter, and tried to rally the army anew. But 
no courage or resolve could have withstood 
the overwhelming force of the enemy. No 
remonstrance could prevail upon Charles to 
flee. He would surely have fallen into the 
hands of the Russians had not ‘ Count Ponia- 
towski drawn up five hundred horse, . sur- 
rounded and rescued him,’ and, with desperate 
valor breaking through ten regiments of the 
enemy, continued the wild flight until we at 
length fortunately met the coach of Count 
Meyerfeldt; and as the king was suffering 




POLTAVA AND BENDER. 


21 


intensely with pain in his wounded foot, we 
seated him within and fled still farther. 

“ ' The day is lost,’ said the king ; ' let us 
rather go to the Turks than fall into the hands 
of the Russians.’ 

“Yes, it was lost, and our whole Swedish 
army besides. Misfortune met us upon every 
hand. It was now only a war of ambition 
and conquest, lads, and our God had turned 
away his face from us. General Lowenhaupt 
had meanwhile gathered together the rem- 
nant of the army, but it did us no good. He 
was pursued by the enemy, and captured. 
Well do I recollect that fearful, fatal 8th of 
July, 1709. 

“ We will hurry over this part of our narra- 
tive as briefly as possible. The reminiscence 
brings up many a painful scene. I myself 
received at this time a severe blow upon the 
head, but it did not prevent me from follow- 
ing the king, who not only was tortured by 
n 


122 


THE IRON HEAD. 


the consciousness that from a conquering 
hero he was now transformed into a wounded 
fugitive, but he was also suffering from a 
raging fever, requiring all possible care and 
attention. Ah, that was truly a deplorable 
flight. Like the Israelites, " we wandered in 
the wilderness in a solitary way, hungry and 
thirsty our souls fainted in us.’ But God in 
his great mercy furnished us water in the 
desert, ‘ and gave us drink as out of the great 
depths. Oh that men would praise the Lord 
for his goodness and for his wonderful works 
to the children of men !’ After five hard, suf- 
fering days we reached the banks of the Bog, 
the Russians following close behind us. New 
misfortunes awaited us upon the Turkish bor- 
der. The Turks were not willing to trans- 
port so many without the permission of the 
governor of Otchakov, and he must first ad- 
vise with the seraskier of Bender. Much 
time was lost before the boats were ready. 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. 


123 


By this delay five hundred Swedes and Cos- 
sacks were taken prisoners without it being 
in our power to assist them. It was only 
with the greatest difficulty that we at last 
reached the Turkish territory. 

“ Now we were under the protection of the 
sultan. Charles, who until now had been 
victor in every battle; he who had deposed 
one king and had proposed to do the same 
with regard to the Russian czar ; he who had 
made laws for the Roman emperor and before 
whom all the crowns of Europe had trembled, 
— was brought so low that he must now re- 
ceive a scanty allowance from unbelievers. 
* How was the mighty fallen and the weapons 
of war perished ! Tell it not in Gath, publish 
it not in the streets of Askelon, lest the daugh- 
ters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daugh- 
ters of the uncircumcised triumph !’ But with 
all this Charles was not humbled. I do not 
know if he repented his pride and obstinacy, 


124 the iron head. 

which had surely brought him into this piti- 
able condition: Never did word to this effect 
pass his lips. Yet although he acted as if he 
were still the 'invincible’ at the head of his 
powerful army, the worm may have been 
gnawing at his heart in spite of it all, for I 
have watched him at times when he imagined 
himself unobserved, and have seen the con- 
tracted brow, the compressed lip and gloomy 
expression as he sat lost in deep reverie. In 
these moments the thought may have pene- 
trated his head of iron that he had brought 
upon himself all this misery by following out 
his perverse will and ambitious plans instead 
of closing in with the czar’s proposals of 
peace. Had he done so, he could then 
have returned to Sweden covered with the 
renown he had so well won ; but, as I said be- 
fore, he acted as though no misfortune had 
power to pierce his heart of steel. Well had 
it been for him had he remembered these 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. I25 

words of holy writ : ^ Let not the mighty man 
glory in his might’ 

“ But we were not wholly forgotten of God. 
Like to his people of old, so he decreed con- 
cerning us, saying: ‘Verily it shall be well 
with thy remnant ; verily I will cause the en- 
emy to entreat thee well in the time of evil 
and in the time of affliction.’ We were 
treated with the utmost hospitality, and our 
wounded king was regarded with honor and 
the highest respect. As soon as the seras- 
kier of Bender heard that Charles had taken 
refuge in the Turkish dominions, he sent an 
aga to him with the assurance that he should 
receive all that he would require whilst there. 
They received him as a victorious, not as a 
vanquished, king. The best dwelling in the 
place was appointed him. However, he de- 
clined this attention, and encamped in the 
neighborhood of the fortress. We were now 
in all about eighteen hundred men. We 


126 


THE IRON HEAD. 


lived, lads, like the Tartars. Our protectors 
supplied us bountifully with every comfort. 
Then, too, the king received daily from the 
sultan a purse containing in our Christian 
money about three hundred thalers. We 
could have lived well and enjoyed ourselves 
considerably here had we Swedes not sighed 
for our Fatherland, and, to tell you the truth, 
lads, we felt, notwithstanding all the attention 
bestowed upon us, that we were in reality 
nothing but refugees and prisoners. . 

“ But it mattered little what we thought 
about this. The king apparently did not 
trouble himself about it, but even at this very 
time had conceived in his iron head plans of 
great magnitude. He had not given up his 
designs upon Russia, and now urged upon 
the sultan to raise an army for him to march 
against the czar. For this purpose he sent 
Count Poniatowski as an agent to Constanti- 
nople, with the charge to leave no measures 


POLTAVA .AND BENDER. 12/ 

untried to induce the sultan to declare war 
against Russia. The count was a shrewd 
man, and devoted to the king. Through 
some means he influenced the mother of his 
Highness, who was strongly in favor of 
Charles, whom she called by no other name 
than that of ‘her lion,’ and urged upon her 
son in her zeal to give ear to our king’s pro- 
posal, saying, ‘ When will you help my lion 
to devour this czar ?’ 

“ Weeks passed by, however, without any- 
thing having been decided . upon. It would 
have now been an easy matter for us to have 
returned to Sweden. The French king had 
offered us a safe passage from the Levant to 
Marseilles, from whence we could easily have 
returned to our own country. But nothing 
could induce Charles to give up his plan of 
dethroning his enemy, the czar. He was 
ashamed to go back to his kingdom a fugi- 
tive. In short, we remained where we were. 


28 


THE IRON HEAD. 


and made ourselves as comfortable as possi- 
ble. As we had nothing else to do, we built 
us houses, ancj soon quite a little town sprang 
up outside of Bender. 

‘‘This state of things did not last long. 
As soon as the king recovered from his wound 
his old restless spirit returned. Before the 
sun rose he was ready for action, tiring some- 
times three horses a day, and exercising us 
until the sweat would run down our faces. 
.Charles was supplied with plenty of money, 
but it was just like pouring water into a sieve. 
It was scarcely received until it was given out. 
He was obliged, to be sure, to be lavish, if he 
wanted to carry out his designs, particularly 
with the pasha and grand vizier, bribing them 
upon all occasions to advance his interests. 
Unfortunately, the baron of Grotthusen, who 
was his treasurer, thought and acted as did 
his master. I will just give you an instance, 
my lads, for I happened to be present once 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. I2g 

when the baron submitted to the king a reck- 
oning of some expenditures with only these 
words: ‘Ten thousand crowns divided among 
the Swedes and Janizaries, the rest to be ap- 
plied to further exigencies.’ ‘ I like your 
method of calculation, Grotthusen,’ said the 
king. ‘That rascal Muller (his valet de cham- 
bre) makes me read whole pages for the sum 
of ten thousand livres.’ 

“ I could not keep silent when the king 
made this foolish remark, and, as he always 
suffered me to speak freely, said : ‘ If your 
Majesty permits the baron to do as he pleases 
with the money, we will soon be a horde of 
beggars.’ 

“ ‘ What is that you are saying,, you simple- 
ton ?’ he answered, pulling my ear at the same 
time right smartly, which was often his fash- 
ion when in a good humor. ‘You do not un- 
derstand anything about the matter. You 

had better not speak until you are spoken to, 
I 


130 THE IRON HEAD. 

sirrah. I only give my money to those who 
know how to turn it again.' 

“ ‘ If your Majesty would throw it out of 
the window, it would turn about as well,’ I 
rejoined. ^You would be saved the trouble 
then of looking after it.’ 

“He laughed heartily, saying, ^Well, Roos, 
you are a saucy knave. I would advise you 
to trouble yourself no further about things 
that do not concern you.’ 

“‘But this does concern me,’ I retorted. 
‘ If you have no money in your purse, we all 
are the losers.’ 

“ ‘ It shall not be carried that far, my faith- 
ful fellow,’ he answered earnestly. ‘ Money 
is only a means to an end, and if I wish to 
accomplish successfully a certain end, I must 
not spare it. You understand me, Roos? 
Now go !’ 

“So ended our conversation upon this sub- 
ject, and the squandering continued as before. 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. I3I 

The time that I had so boldly predicted actu- 
ally came, when the king had not a red heller 
in his pocket. 

**We had visitors in plenty. Curiosity 
led thousands from Constantinople to see 
the ‘iron head.* He was gazed at as if he 
had been some wild animal, and because it 
was his habit to abstain from wine and to 
attend public devotion regularly twice a day, 
they honored him as a devout Mussulman. 

“ Meanwhile, Charles hoped and waited for 
the Turks to take up arms against the Rus- 
sians, but they did not move. The Count 
Poniatowski brought it at one time very near 
a conclusion, the grand vizier promising that 
he would ‘ lead the king to Moscow at the 
head of two hundred thousand men,’ but that 
was all we heard about it. The misfortune 
was that the grand vizier was open to bribery, 
receiving money from Charles and the czar at 
the same time ; and as Peter sent him a larger 


132 THE IRON HEAD. 

amount than our king could gather together, 
no more was said about the march to Moscow. 
The Russian ambassador, Tolstoy, was al- 
lowed to sell the captured Swedes as slaves 
in the market at Constantinople without any 
remonstrance, even retaining some in his 
own service. He ordered also that Mazeppa 
should be delivered up, the faithful old Ma- 
zeppa, and in all probability they would have 
given up the old man of fourscore years, had 
he not fortunately died ^just at this juncture.’ 
The Russians did not hesitate to assert and 
proclaim that our king was only a state pris- 
oner in Turkey, and what could we do or say 
against this? although we were indignant 
enough, I assure you. If only the king could 
have gone to Constantinople and arranged 
matters personally with the sultan ! But there 
was the rub. He would have done so gladly, 
but he dared not. 

'‘This was the very depth of humiliation. 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. I33 

The all-powerful Charles must now conde- 
scend to send petitions by another. Imagin- 
ing that the sultan must be ignorant ‘ of the 
intrigues of his vizier,’ he commissioned Poni- 
atowski to present his complaints. But, alas ! 
things were conducted very differently from 
what they were among us, who were permitted 
to go openly to our king. In Turkey all must 
go through the hands of the vizier. Setting 
forth his bitter complaints in a letter, he en- 
trusted it for a large sum of money to the care 
of a Greek slave, who had the boldness to 
force his way through the guard and hand it 
to the sultan as he was about entering the 
mosque. It helped us, however, but little. 
Instead of such an answer as Charles expect- 
ed, his Highness sent the king twenty-five 
Arabian horses, one of which was covered 
with a saddle and housings of great splendor. 
A note accompanied the present, courteous, 

to be sure, but so little to the purpose that 
12 


134 the iron head. 

the king in his vexation tore it in pieces. 
The vizier, pretending that he was ignorant 
of all that had passed, also presented Charles 
with five splendid steeds. Those sent by 
the sultan he accepted, but the others he 
returned with the answer, * Go and tell your 
master that I receive no presents from my 
enemies.’ 

In this manner years passed away. It 
really began to seem as if we should spend 
our lives there, for Charles had made up his 
perverse mind that he would not return ex- 
cept at the head of a numerous army. His 
head of steel could not be moved from this 
resolve. How matters went in Sweden gave 
him apparently but little concern. The daily 
purse and the requisite supply of provisions 
were still regularly given. The king did not 
receive them as an alms, which they truly 
were, but as his due, his invariable answer 
to all remonstrance about his departure be- 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. I35 

ing, * I will have a Turkish army before ever 
I move from this place.’ 

After a long, weary time a star of hope 
glimmered in our horizon. The sultan seemed 
to suspect the duplicity of his vizier, and 
not only deposed but banished him. Cou- 
prougli, an upright, honorable man, was ap- 
pointed his successor. He dealt faithfully 
and generously by us, presenting to the king 
eight hundred purses, every one of which 
amounted to five hundred crowns, advising 
him at the same time to set out at once for 
Sweden. Charles took the money, but stayed 
on, for an army he was resolved to have. 
This vizier also was in course of time deposed, 
and the seal of the empire given to Mehemet. 
He was shrewd enough to see that the king 
had influential friends at court, particularly, 
as I said before, the mother of the sultan. 
This induced him to use his influence in our 
behalf; and at length it really appeared as if 


136 THE IRON HEAD. 

the king’s iron head had forced through the 
formidable barrier, for the Turks actually de- 
clared war against Russia. 

“ It did not take them long to find a pre- 
text. Their borders had not been properly 
respected by the enemy. Charles had de- 
tached about eight hundred Poles and Cos- 
sacks of his retinue, with orders to pass the 
Dniester, that runs by Bender, so as to observe 
what passed on the frontiers of Poland. The 
Russian troops at once fell upon them, pursu- 
ing them even to the very territory of the sul- 
tan. This was just what the king wanted. 
According to Turkish custom, the Russian 
ambassador was immediately seized as pris- 
oner, together with all his attendants. The 
green banner of the Prophet fluttered from 
the battlements of the Grande Porte. The 
sultan presented the grand vizier with a mag- 
nificent sabre as an indication of his will. 
He received it reluctantly, professing his utter 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. I37 

ignorance of the art of war, saying : ‘ I was 
brought up to handle an axe and cleave wood, 
not to wield a sword and command your army. 
Nevertheless, I will do my utmost, but should 
I be unsuccessful, do not attribute, O sultan, 
the blame to me.’ 

“ The sly fox sought in this way to protect 
himself Among us, lads, in the Swedish 
camp, there was profound rejoicing. We 
were heartily tired of the life we had for so 
long a time been leading, and saw now some 
prospect of a return to our beloved Father- 
land. We were ready to follow wherever the 
king would lead. 

“At last the Turks actually did march 
against the czar with an army of two hundred 
thousand men. With this enormous multitude 
the vizier surrounded the Russians, who only 
numbered about fifty thousand troops. They 
were now as securely caught as a mouse in 
a trap. To complete their misfortunes, they 


138 THE IRON HEAD. 

had only a few days’ provision. Count Poni- 
atowski, who was with the Turkish army, 
gave to the grand vizier the very best advice, 
viz., that he should not allow himself to be 
drawn into a battle, but that he should simply 
famish the czar and his army. About this 
time he despatched a courier to our king, 
giving him an account of the situation of the 
enemy. Charles now thought the hour had 
come for which he had so ardently longed. 

“But, lads, ^man proposes and God dis- 
poses.’ It was not so to be. The Lord in 
his wisdom had determined otherwise. But 
I am too fast. The czar was now in as bad a 
situation as we at Poltava. Shutting himself 
up in his tent, he ordered that no one be ad- 
mitted to his presence; but Catharine, his 
wife, notwithstanding his express command 
to the contrary, forced her way to his tent 
and implored him that he would suffer her to 
negotiate with the vizier for peace. Upon 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. I39 

hearing that all was lost, she had at once writ- 
ten a letter, to which she desired the czar’s 
signature, representing to him that their situ- 
ation could not possibly be worse than it now 
was. Her prayers and tears were at last suc- 
cessful, and the paper was signed. She now 
collected all the money, pearls and diamonds 
she could gather together and sent them with 
the letter to Osman-aga, who was the right- 
hand of the grand vizier. Two hours elapsed, 
and the messenger had not returned. Their 
despair and anxiety grew momentarily greater. 
Catharine herself had given up all hope. The 
czar now ordered that the baggage should be 
burnt to prevent it from falling into the hands 
of the Turks, and that they should break 
through the enemy with fixed bayonets. The 
women in the camp began piteously to bewail 
their sad fate. Seeing nothing in reserve for 
them upon the dawn of another day but death 
or slavery, the officers encouraged their sol- 


140 TH£ IRON HEAD. 

diers to sell their lives dearly. All was con- 
fusion and dismay. On a sudden, however, 
this mortal terror was succeeded by a univer- 
sal rejoicing. To the surprise of all, the am- 
bassador returned from the Turkish camp, 
bringing joyful tidings. The paper and pres- 
ent of the czarina had worked wonders, the 
grand vizier in return sending the consoling 
answer that Peter should immediately de- 
spatch his prime minister to their camp in 
order to satisfactorily arrange the stipulations 
for peace. 

“ But what was a message of mercy to the 
czar was a thunderbolt for our count. He 
moved heaven and earth to prevent the treaty, 
but Osman, the lieutenant of Mehemet, worked 
against him with all his power, and succeeded 
too. In the beginning the vizier certainly in- 
tended to compel the czar to surrender at dis- 
cretion, but he suffered himself to be easily 
persuaded. War, as he had told the sultan. 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. I4I 

was not his forte. Then, too, he was a good 
Mussulman, and the Koran says, ‘ Thou shalt 
not so oppress an enemy that in the courage 
of despair he have recourse to flight.’ 

Notwithstanding the violent opposition 
of Poniatowski, the treaty was concluded, and 
Catharine rejoiced at the success of her plan, 
which had fortunately delivered her husband 
and his whole army out of this dilemma. 
The Turks even provided food for the half- 
famished troops, and in two hours after the 
signing of the treaty excess took the place of 
want in the Russian camp. 

Whilst this change had taken place in the 
position of the armies, the courier which the 
count had despatched arrived at Bender, 
bringing to Charles news of the czar’s despe- 
rate situation. The impatience of the king 
to witness the humiliation and capture of his 
obstinate foe would not suffer him to rest. 
Setting out instantly, he rode at full speed 


142 THE IRON HEAD. 

until he reached the Pruth. Here, instead 
of taking time to ride only half a mile in 
order to reach the bridge which led across 
the river, he recklessly plunged with his 
horse into the stream and swam across. Just 
as the czar was drawing off his troops he ar- 
rived at the Turkish camp. Alighting from 
his foaming steed at Poniatowski’s tent, he 
heard for the first time of the .ignominious 
treaty which Mehemet had concluded with 
the czar. 

“He stood for a few moments as though 
stricken by lightning, absolutely not believ- 
ing the news the count had communicated. 
At last his rage found vent. Never had I 
seen even him so fierce as now. His eyes 
actually flashed fire, his lips trembled, his 
face was white as the fresh-fallen snow. 
Rushing from the spot, he flew to the vizier, 
and in his mad passion not only overwhelmed 
him with the bitterest reproaches, but accused 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. I43 

him of treachery, vehemently insisting that 
the negotiations should at once be broken 
off, and the Russians set upon sword in hand. 

“ ^ Can it be possible, man, that you could 
be so base as to conclude this shameless 
peace ?’ 

“The grand vizier, who had preserved a 
phlegmatic calmness during the violence of 
the king, now dryly answered, * I have a right 
either to make peace or to make war.' 

“ ^ But the whole Russian army is in your 
power,’ cried the king. 

“‘It is written in the Koran,’ replied the 
vizier, with unshaken equanimity, ‘ Give thy 
enemy peace when he prays for mercy.’ 

“ ‘ But does it command you,’ said the 
king, bitterly, ‘to conclude an ignominious 
treaty when you have it in your power to dic- 
tate the terms? Could you not have taken 
the czar captive to Constantinople ?’ 

“‘Who would have governed his empire 


144 the iron hEaO. 

in his absence ?’ the vizier asked, coolly. ‘ It 
is not proper that all kings should leave their 
dominions.’ 

“At this home-thrust the king laughed 
bitterly, throwing himself upon a divan, and 
bestowing upon the Turk looks of rage and 
contempt. In the recklessness of his passion 
he stretched out his leg, and, entangling his 
spur in the Turk’s robe, deliberately tore it. 
Again indulging in the harshest invectives, he 
sprang upon his horse, and with grievously 
disappointed hopes and a vexed heart rode 
from the spot. 

“ Upon returning to our camp, we found it 
completely overflowed by the waters of the 
Dniester. On this account we left the neigh- 
borhood of Bender and went to Varnitza. 

“ The vizier now entertained some fear that 
Charles would represent his conduct in its 
true light to the sultan. This dread was well 
grounded : it was not long after until he was 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. I45 

deposed for his perfidy, and his adjutant, 
Osman, strangled. Fearing our continued 
stay would prove fatal to himself, he exerted 
himself to the utmost to get us out of the 
country as soon as possible. He obtained 
from the German emperor a free pass for the 
king through his states, offering him besides 
an escort of eight thousand Turks, should he 
prefer returning to Sweden through Poland. 
But Charles harshly and abruptly refused, 
asserting that he would not move from Var- 
nitza without an army of one hundred thou- 
sand men. The vizier now commissioned the 
seraskier of Bender to urge him to depart, 
but his answer to him was, ‘that he would 
hang the first one who came to him with pro- 
posals derogatory to his honor and dignity.’ 
No humiliation could subdue his haughty 
and intractable spirit. . 

“ We established ourselves at Varnitza as 

if we intended remaining there all our lives. 

13 K 


146 THE IRON HEAD. 

The king built for himself a large stone 
house, and although he had never cared par- 
ticularly for splendor, he had it furnished in a 
most sumptuous manner, so as to command 
the respect of the Turks. It was built as 
strongly as though he imagined the time 
might come when this would be of some 
peculiar advantage. A chancery was also 
erected beside it, and a handsome buildkig 
for his favorite, Baron Grotthusen. 

“The poor grand vizier argued, from all 
these preparations, that he was not to get rid 
in a hurry of his troublesome guest. He 
therefore tried to make his sojourn as un- 
pleasant as possible. The Seraskier of Bender 
was required to threaten him with the sultan’s 
highest dissatisfaction if he did not immedi- 
ately leave Turkey. He was a mild, good- 
natured creature, and the commission was not 
an agreeable one, but he was compelled to 
obey, although he tried to gild the bitter pill 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. I47 

as far as practicable. Charles only laughed 
at his lame attempt, and answered : ‘ I will be 
ready to leave when Sultan Achmet grants 
me two favors.* 

“‘And what are they?’ questioned the 
seraskier, well pleased, for he imagined they 
were now nearing a conclusion. 

“ ‘ First,’ continued Charles, ‘ he must punish 
the grand vizier ; secondly, he must send with 
me to Poland one hundred thousand men.’ 

“Well might the seraskier be amazed at 
the obstinacy and perverseness of this head 
of iron. 

“The king remained firm in his resolve; 
the hundred thousand men he would not give 
up, and he believed the Turks would event- 
ually grant his unreasonable demand. 

“The vizier was now thoroughly vexed 
with the king, and intercepted all letters 
which he sent to Constantinople. In conse- 
quence of this, Charles could not complain 


148 THE IRON HEAD. 

of him to the sultan, or receive money from 
Stamboul. What was still worse for us, he 
withheld a greater part of our daily allow- 
ance, threatening us with its entire withdraw- 
al if we still remained obstinate. Theming 
took no further notice of this than to say to 
his steward: ‘Hitherto you have only had two 
tables : I command you to have four for the 
future.’ This truly was carried out, but in 
order to do so money must be borrowed from 
Jew, Christian, Turk, and even the Janizaries, 
at a most exorbitant interest. At this reck- 
less conduct many of us Swedes — I among 
the number — sincerely grieved, but Charles 
rejected all counsel, and nothing was left us 
but to obey. 

“ At last the king was gratified in seeing the 
vizier deposed. Count Poniatowski drew up 
a full report of the true situation of the Rus- 
sian army upon the banks of the Pruth, which 
clearly set forth that a far more glorious and 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. I49 

honorable peace could have been effected had 
it not been for the vizier’s treachery. This 
paper was placed, through some special influ- 
ence, in the hands of the sultan. The mat- 
ter being now closely investigated, there was 
found, in the hands of Osman, Catharine’s ring 
and twenty thousand gold pieces, of both 
Saxon and Russian coinage. The lieutenant, 
therefore, as well as the vizier, received the 
wages of his treachery. But all these things 
did not advance our interests in the least. 

‘‘Jussuf was now appointed in the place of 
Mehemet. He righteously dealt out to us our 
allowance of money and provisions. Again 
did Charles indulge the hope that all would 
be as he desired, for war with Russia seemed 
now upon the point of breaking out. But his 
hope was in vain. Peace was restored, and 
the sultan himself wrote a letter to the king, 
in which he courteously but determinedly de- 
sired him to depart before winter, promising 


I 


150 THE IRON HEAD. 

at the same time to supply him with a suffi- 
cient guard, money and all that was requisite 
for the journey. The letter was dated from 
Constantinople, April 14, 1712, and the signa- 
ture was in the sultan’s own handwriting. 

'‘We had now received our orders. They 
were peremptory. The pill was not this time 
so splendidly gilded as before. What effect, 
think you, my lads, had all this upon our 
head of steel? Not one inch did it move him 
from his resolve. He replied to the sultan 
that he would ever remember with gratitude 
the favors he had conferred upon him, and that 
he did not think it could be his intention to 
send him ‘ back with the simple guard of a fly- 
ing camp through a country swarming with his 
enemies.’ No preparations were made to de- 
part, although the winter gradually drew near. 

“ The seraskier of Bender insisted more 
peremptorily than ever that he should leave 
the Turkish dominions, threatening violence 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. I5I 

did he not do so at once. ‘ I cannot think of 
going/ Charles replied, ‘ before my debts are 
paid.’ ^ How much does your Majesty re- 
quire for that purpose?’ inquired the sadly- 
perplexed man. ‘One thousand purses’ 
(which is nearly a half million gulden), said 
the king. 

“ The seraskier wrote instantly to the sul- 
tan, and so great was his forbearance that he 
ordered, instead 6f the amount mentioned by 
Charles, that twelve hundred purses should be 
given him, but with the express stipulation that 
they were not to be delivered up to the king of 
Sweden until he should have begun his jour- 
ney. In spite of all this, however, the good- 
natured, simple-hearted man allowed himself 
to be persuaded by the treasurer to part with 
the money before the king had set out from 
Varnitza. 

“This was a little too much for even Turk- 
ish patience. Upon hearing of this, the sul- 


152 THE IRON HEAD. 

tan called a divan, as the state’s council is 
called there, at which he himself spoke. This 
is a very unusual thing for a Turkish mon- 
arch. It was now resolved that if their trou- 
blesome guest would not go by fair means he 
should be compelled by force. 

“ * My head will be the forfeit,’ said the se- 
raskier as he delivered up the money against 
the express orders of the sultan. I was pres- 
ent, lads, during their conference, and saw 
the trouble and perplexity of the poor man. 
When the deed was actually done, he even 
shed tears in his distress. 

‘ That shall not happen,’ said Charles, con- 
solingly ; ‘ I will excuse you to your lord.’ 

“ ‘ Ah,’ sighed the seraskier, * my master 
can punish faults, but cannot excuse them.’ 

“ The poor fellow, however, slipped through 
this time with a sharp reproof But he was 
commissioned to report the result of the 
divan to the king at Varnitza, telling him that 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. I53 

the patience of the sultan \vas now exhausted, 
that he must prepare to depart instantly, or he 
would be forced to go against his will. 

‘ Obey your master if you dare,’ was the 
king’s answer, ‘but leave my presence in- 
stantly !’ 

“The dejected seraskier left with a troubled 
countenance, and from that hour our supply 
of provision and even the guard of honor were 
withdrawn. 

“ The seven thousand Poles and Cossacks 
who had gradually gathered around the king 
received orders they should leave our camp 
and seek protection at Bender, if they would 
not perish of hunger. They obeyed, but 
we Swedes remained faithful to our way- 
ward king. Not much time was now lost. 
We were obliged to prepare ourselves for an 
attack, as twenty thousand Tartars and six 
thousand Turks marched without further de- 
lay against us. 


154 


THE IRON HEAD. 


“ We were now ^ruly pitiably situated, but 
even under these circumstances Charles would 
not bend his iron will. We fortified ourselves 
as well as we were able, the king, his prime 
minister, treasurer, clerks and servants all as- 
sisting with their own hands. When the win- 
dows and doors of the stone house were suffi- 
ciently barricaded, Charles seated himself 
composedly, playing a game of chess with 
Baron Grotthusen. 

“ We all feared less for ourselves than for 
the king. One of his attendants fell at his 
feet, imploring him not thus uselessly to sac- 
rifice his life. His chaplain even adjured him 
by the holy Scriptures not to place himself 
recklessly in the midst of such great danger. 

“ But Charles was not to be moved in his 
obstinacy. *It is your business,’ said he to 
the preacher, ^ to pray for me, not to give me 
counsel.’ 

Two of his generals. Hard and Dahldorf, 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. 155 

besought him by the wounds they had re- 
ceived at his side to desist. 

These prove/ said the king as he looked 
upon them, 'that we have fought together 
valiantly. You have hitherto done your duty: 
do it to-day likewise.’ 

" He was inexorable, and we prepared our- 
selves for a hard struggle. 

“And now the hour had come which we 
had so long dreaded. The Turks were act- 
ually approaching. Every one of us hastened 
to his post. The king defended his own 
house, and I found myself among his suite. 
The chancery was entrusted to Muller and 
his secretary, Ehrenpreisz. To the menial 
servants were also assigned various posts. 

“ The enemy came upon us in good earnest, 
shouting as they advanced, 'Demirbash!’ — 
surrender ! 

“Even in this extremity they showed re- 
gard for the life of the king, hoping that he 


156 


THE IRON HEAD. 


would at last yield himself peaceably to their 
overpowering numbers. But they were mis- 
taken. The baron of Grotthusen alone ap- 
proached them to hold a parley, thinking he 
might by this means avert the threatened 
storm. 

“ * My friends,’ he cried, * will you murder 
a handful of defenceless Swedes? Have you 
forgotten, brave Janizaries, all the favors you 
have received from us? Will you take the 
life of the bold king of Sweden, whom you 
have professed to love and honor ? — one who 
has constantly conferred benefits upon you ? 
He only asks of you, my brave men, three 
days’ respite, and the order of the sultan is 
by no means so urgent as has been repre- 
sented to you.’ 

'“No respite, no respite now!’ cried the se- 
raskier and Tartar Khan. ' Charge, Tartars, 
charge I’ 

" But the Janizaries obeyed not. They 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. 157 

reverenced the king highly, and even threat- 
ened their officers in their zeal with mutiny 
if they did not grant us the desired three 
days’ respite. 

“The poor seraskier now found himself 
again in a pitiable and painful perplexity. 
At length, driven to his wits’ end, he gath- 
ered together the officers and veterans of the 
turbulent Janizaries and read to them the sul- 
tan’s command. Nevertheless, they still deter- 
minedly refused to obey, and a middle course 
was obliged to be resorted to. Sixty old war- 
riors demanded permission of the seraskier to 
go to the king, begging of him to confide him- 
self to them, offering at the same time to act 
as his special body-guard. This request was 
granted with joy, for the baron desired this 
affair to be amicably settled. Accordingly, 
this venerable unarmed deputation conferred 
with Baron Grotthusen and the chancellor, 
declaring that they came only as a guard for 

14 


158 THE IRON HEAD. 

the king, intending to take him in safety to 
Adrianople, where he would confer in person 
with the sultan, and matters could be thus 
amicably arranged. 

“ Meanwhile, during this conference with 
Grotthusen, Charles unfortunately received 
the letter from his ambassador. Count Ponia- 
towski, confirming the seraskier’s statement. 
The sultan’s requirement seemed to our per- 
verse king exceedingly harsh and severe, 
and made him now more than ever deter- 
mined obstinately to resist. 

^‘The contents of this letter were like oil 
upon the flames of rage and willfulness that 
consumed him. No proposition, however 
reasonable, could have induced him to leave. 
He would far rather have died. To the dep- 
utation, whom he would not even admit to 
his presence, he sent the insulting answer 
that he ‘ would hang up the pasha and shave 
the beards of any Janizaries who brought 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. I59 

him such proposals.’ This, boys, is the great- 
est insult that can be offered to a Turk. In 
short, he followed as usual his own counsel, 
rejecting all reasonable advice that was 
offered. 

“ These reminiscences are not pleasant, for 
I loved my king from my very heart, but, my 
lads, I wish this story to benefit your future 
lives. Particularly do I wish to impress upon 
you these lessons : ^ Keep thy heart with all 
diligence, for out of it are the issues of life. 
He is in the way of life that keepeth instruc- 
tion, but he that refuseth reproof erreth. He 
that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, 
and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh 
a city.’ 

“ But I must hasten. The bearded Janiza- 
ries left in a great rage, crying out as they 
departed, ‘Ah, this iron head! since he will 
perish, let him perish I’ 

“Upon returning to their camp, they re- 


6o 


THE IRON HEAD. 


ported the contemptuous answer they had re- 
ceived from Charles, and together with their 
comrades vowed to avenge the insult. 

We soon learned that they meant to keep 
their vow in good earnest. We were engaged 
as usual in our morning’s service when the 
battle-cry unexpectedly surprised us. Spring- 
ing up, each man rushed to his post, know- 
ing well a fierce conflict was before him. All 
fought with their accustomed bravery, but 
the enemy far outnumbered us. Surround- 
ing our camp, they pressed us so hard that 
most of our little band surrendered, thinking 
truly, as they did so, that this would prove 
the only means of saving the life of the king. 
But Charles, his generals. Hard, Daldorf and 
Sparre, together with a small body of de- 
voted followers, amongst whom I found my- 
selC‘hastened to the stone building, the king 
crying to us as we did so, ‘ Let us go and 
defend the house,’ adding, with a smile, 


POLTAVA AND BENDER. l6l 

‘ Come, my brave Swedes, we will fight pro 
aris et focis* 

“ The generals were astounded at this cool 
indifference, but they as well as we followed, 
and succeeded in reaching the house. It was 
truly high time that we did so, for when we 
reached the door we found it had been already 
forced by the Tartars. In order to gain en- 
trance we were obliged to press our way 
through, the king only alighting from his 
horse at the door of his own apartment. 

“ We were now within, to be sure, but the 
Turks swarmed around us like midges. We 
had not much time given us for reflection. 
Our hands were full, and we defended the 
king as well as we possibly could. — But I see 
it is time to pause, my lads. Fresh coal must 
be carried. Our beacon-fire burns no longer 
as clearly as it ought, and, as a goodly por- 
tion of the night still remains, we must not 
neglect our duty.' 

14 # 


L 


i62 the iron HEAD; 

The interruption was not altogether agree- 
able, but the cadets, accustomed to discipline, 
offered no objection, at once starting to obey 
the command of the warder. The stranger 
also bore his part in carrying coal and raking 
the fire, smilingly saying as the old man re- 
monstrated, “ No, no, my friend ! if I have 
shared the pleasure with these boys, surely it 
is no more than right that I should share 
their work. And besides, it is to my own 
advantage; the sooner we get through, so 
much the sooner will we hear the rest of our 
story.” 

The old warder smiled his gratification, and 
without further objection suffered the stranger 
to render his share of assistance. 



CHAPTER IV. 

THE LAST STRUGGLE. 

T HE beacon-fire beamed anew over the 
sea,' with a strange unearthly splendor 
in its glow, and all returned to the guard- 
room, save the old warder, who still lingered 
studying wind and weather, but for this night 
at least he could dismiss all further appre- 
hension. The storm had passed from the 
now clear and almost cloudless sky, the moon 
shed her soft and tranquil light down upon 
the foaming billows, and although the waves 
still dashed turbulently against the rocks and 
shore, one could readily prophesy that before 
daybreak its wrath would be fully expended. 

All’s well,” said the old man as he re- 

163 


164 THE IRON HEAD. 

turned to the little room and seated himself 
in his arm-chair. “ It is not likely that we will 
have any further interruption to-night, and 
therefore, friends, if it is agreeable to you, we 
will proceed with our story. Not very much 
more now remains for me to tell you about 
the ‘ iron head,’ as the Turks called him. 

“ Our fight with the Janizaries was no joke, 
I can tell you, lads. The king repelled the as- 
sault with his usual bravery. Throwing my 
arms around him, I implored him to leave 
the defence to us, and to retire to the greater 
security of his own apartment, but all en- 
treaties were in vain : move from that spot he 
would not. 

“ Although the balls whizzed and whistled 
around us like hailstones, he took up his 
position at a window overlooking a court- 
yard occupied by several hundred Turks, who 
kept up an incessant fire. Many of them forced 
their way into the house through the broken 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 165 

windows, and fought madly with our men in 
the hall and various apartments of the build- 
ing. When the king saw this, nothing could 
restrain him. Wrenching himself loose from 
my close grasp — for I still retained hold of his 
sword-belt — he sprang from the spot. Vexed 
that he had escaped, I rushed after him, and 
succeeded in capturing him again, crying as 
I did so : * Your Majesty will not get off now 
quite so easily.’ 

“ He resisted mightily, but I held on like 
grim death until four Swedes, seeing my ef- 
forts, came to my relief. Between us, in spite 
of his struggles, we succeeded in dragging 
him within the door, which was on the in- 
stant closely barricaded. 

The king as soon as freed pressed into 
the room where the confusion was greatest, 
we after him to protect and defend him as 
far as possible. So soon as the Janizaries • 
espied him, they shouted, ‘ Demirbash ! De- 


THE IRON HEAD. 


I66 

mirbash !’ pressing eagerly upon him on all 
sides. The pasha of Bender had promised 
to each one who assisted in capturing the 
king eight ducats did they even so much as 
touch his garments, but the poor wretches 
shared the fate of the silly moths who flutter 
around the light. 

“ All fell that approached him. A Janizary 
whom he had wounded shot at the king, but 
fortunately, in the confusion, he had not aimed 
aright, the ball only passing close to his face 
and tearing away a piece of his ear. General 
Hard, who was standing close behind him, had 
his arm shattered by the same shot, but he 
was amply revenged, for the king on the in- 
stant ran his sword through the Turk’s breast, 
and the poor wretch dropped at his feet as 
though struck by lightning. 

“ After a furious fight we chased them from 
room to room, they attempting to escape from 
the windows. When the house was at last 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 167 

cleared, the king stationed five or six men at 
each window, and in this way we handful of 
Swedes held out eight long hours against an 
army of Turks and Tartars. While we with 
shot and sabre exchanged blow for blow, the 
king passed from point to point encouraging 
us to further resistance. He really appeared 
delighted, boys, as though he considered it 
all a good joke, but I can assure you the 
Turks were in earnest this time. Although 
we could not think the course Charles had 
taken was under the circumstances right, yet 
we Swedes felt it our duty to defend to the 
death the person of our king. He carried 
to us our ammunition with his own hands, 
even searching the pockets of those who lay 
around us. 

“ ‘ Of what use is it to the dead ?’ said he ; 
* the living need it now.’ 

While we defended the lower part of the 
house the Turks again swarmed plundering 


l68 THE IRON HEAD. 

through the upper rooms. I watched the 
king closely, for it . seemed to me that he 
was meditating another mad deed. Suddenly 
shouting, ' Let us drive out these barbarians !’ 
he rushed up the staircase sword in hand. 
The Turks, terrified at his unexpected appear- 
ance, threw down their booty, fleeing in all 
directions as though Satan himself was after 
them, some escaping from the windows, while 
others concealed themselves in the cellar. 
The king, taking advantage of the panic, pur- 
sued them ‘ with much bloodshed ’ from room 
to room, succeeding in clearing the house in 
a few minutes. We were under the impres- 
sion that not one remained, but two Janizaries 
were found concealed beneath the king’s bed. 
One of them he cut down, but to the other, 
who piteously implored his mercy, he gave 
his life. 

“'I will pardon you upon your solemn 
oath,’ said he, ‘that you will faithfully de- 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 169 

scribe to the seraskier all that you have this 
day seen.’ 

The poor trembling creature gladly prom- 
ised, and with one leap sprang out of the 
window. While we were occupied with this 
scene for a few moments the king passed 
into an ante-room, thoughtlessly closing the 
door behind him. Now this room was not 
garrisoned. Noticing after a time the absence 
of the king, an indescribable feartook posses- 
sion of me. Rushing into the next apartment, 
what was my terror not to find him there ! 
I saw that our small number was considerably 
diminished by the shots of the enemy, but at 
the time this troubled me little. I was seeking 
my king, I must find him ! What if I did not ! 
Tortured by evil forebodings, I rushed almost 
breathless from room to room, shouting wildly 
in my terror, until I reached that of Herr von 
Duben. Throwing open the door, the sight 
that met my eyes was proof sufficient that my 

15 


I/O THE IRON HEAD. 

fears had not been groundless. The king was 
in deadly combat with several Turks. 'God 
be praised !’ cried I aloud in the fullness of 
my gratitude, for his life was still spared. 
The next moment the report of my pistol was 
heard, and one of the kerls fell dead at his 
feet. ‘ My brave Roos !’ he cried as he caught 
sight of me through the powder and smoke ; 
and such a look he then cast upon me as 
even to this very day, lads, makes my old 
heart burn within me. The next moment the 
second miscreant fell with cleft skull at one 
sabre-stroke of the king, and the third met 
his fate by a pistol-ball through his breast. 
' Ever at the right time, you never forget 
your sovereign, Roos,’ said he as he wiped 
the blood that flowed from the wound he had 
received in this fierce encounter. ' Brave fel- 
low ! brave fellow !’ he continued. ‘ But where 
are the rest ? Have they all fled but you ?’ 

“ ‘ Oh no, your Majesty,’ I replied, ' only a 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 171 

wretch could desert his king at such an hour 
as this. Alas ! the most of them are captives 
or slain.’ 

' Let us then defend the house alone, 
Roos,’ 

“ So was it ever : no misfortune could bow, 
no defeat change, his iron will. We returned 
to the hall to find it still defended by our 
faithful little band. Every attempt upon the 
part of the Turks to force their way in at the 
windows was at once repelled, and although 
their cannon kept up an incessant fire, our 
house was too massive to sustain much in- 
jury. 

“ The seraskier and Tartar khan, provoked 
at the king’s obstinacy, now resolved to set 
the house on fire. This was done by arrows 
with lighted matches shot upon the roof. 
Charles, instead of leaving the house, as they 
supposed he would do, immediately gave 
orders to extinguish the flames, even assist- 


1/2 THE IRON HEAD. 

ing with his own hands in putting them out. 
At last they succeeded in heaping up some 
loads of hay upon the undefended side, set- 
ting it suddenly on fire. Again did we attempt 
to extinguish it. Charles, with the assistance 
of two Swedes, lifted a vessel which he sup- 
posed was filled with water, throwing it upon 
the place where the fire was greatest. But 
unfortunately it proved to be spirits, which 
only increased the violence of the flames. 

“ Delay was now certain destruction. For- 
cing our way up the staircase in the very face 
of the leaping, devouring flames, we at last 
reached the roof, only to find that it was al- 
ready on fire. 

^‘^Tear off the roof!’ cried the king. 

‘‘We did our utmost to obey, but our 
hands were the instruments by which it was 
to be accomplished ; besides, as soon as we 
were seen by the Turks, they opened upon 
us a hot fire. We were compelled to desist, 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. I73 

SO as not to suffocate with the smoke and 
flame. We forced our way back, covering our 
faces, as we did so, with our clothing. After 
great difficulty and danger we reached our 
best defended post, only to find it, to our great 
consternation, also in flames. 

“ * To my room,’ cried the king, in a voice 
stifled by smoke and fatigue. 

“ Scarcely had the words escaped his lips 
when four Turks of so horrible an appear- 
ance fell upon him that their very looks had 
alone been enough to fill one with terror, but 
the king did not lose his presence of mind 
for one moment. With one hand he defended 
himself with his sword, with the other he 
seized the loaded carbine out of my grasp, 
shooting one of his assailants dead upon 
the spot. 

‘ Do not expose your life, my king,’ I 
exclaimed as I threw myself upon the Jani- 
zary who pressed upon him. At that very 
16 * 


174 THE IRON HEAD. 

instant the rascal shot off his pistol, I felt 
suddenly a burning pain in my head, and 
tottered back into the arms of the king. 
Providentially, I was not dangerously hurt, 
and, quickly recovering, rushed upon them, 
together with three or four other Swedes, 
and after a short combat succeeded in over- 
powering them. Again had the windows to 
be defended. The Janizaries had renewed their 
attack, deeming us now altogether powerless 
and confused with the fire, but they had de- 
ceived themselves, for even this fresh assault 
was repelled. Our almost superhuman efforts, 
however, were in vain ; the roof fell in, and we 
expected every instant to be buried in the 
ruins. In this extremity, Walberg cried out, 
while he wiped the sweat from his blackened 
face, * It is all in vain ! We must at last sur- 
render.’ 

“ The king heard him, and turning quickly 
around, said, ‘What a strange fellow, who 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 175 

would rather be a prisoner' with the Turks 
than mingle his ashes with those of his sove- 
reign ! Courage, my brave Swedes,’ he then 
cried, turning toward us ; ^ we will defend our- 
selves as long as we can.’ 

*^As the king said this, it suddenly oc- 
curred to me that it might be possible to 
defend ourselves better in another position. 
Accordingly, I cried out that the chancery 
was but fifty paces off, and was proof against 
fire, having a stone roof. 

The eyes of the king flashed, and coming 
toward me, he exclaimed, ‘There is a true 
Swede for you ! Let us take all the powder 
and ball we can carry. Roos, my brave fel- 
low, I appoint you upon this spot colonel, 
and you, my men, all bear witness, should I 
fall this day, that the same remains valid. 
You have long deserved this, Roos. Thank 
me not : we have something else to do now 
than to waste one moment in sentiment,’ said 


THE IRON HEAD. 


176 

he as he relinquished my hand, which he 
for one instant held in a close, tight grasp. 
‘ Come, my friends ! let us hew our way to 
the chancery.’ 

I heard these words as one in a dream. 
My appointment, my monarch’s unexpected 
praise, almost stunned me. Tears forced 
themselves into my eyes. The king, observ- 
ing them, clapped me upon my shoulder, cry- 
ing, * Forward, Colonel Roos ! Fight now, 
weep afterward.’ 

“ ‘Your Majesty shall see that I am ready,’ 
I replied. We sallied forth from the burning 
house, the king at our head, with such im- 
petuosity that the Turks, astonished at our 
sudden appearance, retreated about fifty paces. 
It was as though some sorcerer held them in 
his power, transforming them in an instant 
into stone, gazing straight upon us without 
so much as raising a hand in their defence. 
But the spell was soon broken. The pasha 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. I// 

of Bender shouted, ‘ Capture the iron head !’ 
The officers of the Janizaries cried, ‘Forward! 
forward I’ We were completely surrounded. 
Our few faithful Swedes could no longer re- 
sist the overpowering numbers of the enemy. 
The king, who had on his high cavalry boots, 
entangling himself with his spurs, now fell. 
On the instant twenty Janizaries rushed upon 
him, and the rest of us were so surrounded 
by the enemy that we could render him no 
assistance. He was now compelled to yield. 
So as not to submit to the mortification of 
giving up his sword, he threw it from him, 
and, carried by the legs and arms, he was 
taken to the pasha’s tent. He made no re- 
sistance the moment he was captured, but 
suffered himself to be carried as a patient 
child. We all now surrendered. The strug- 
gle had ended. This happened upon the 
evening of the I2th of February, 1713. 

“ The pasha received the king in his tent 
M 


178 THE IRON HEAD. 

courteously, inviting him to be seated upon 
the divan, but Charles ignored all his polite- 
ness, and haughtily remained standing, 

“‘Allah be praised that your Majesty’s life 
is spared,’ said the Turk. ‘It was exceed- 
ingly unpleasant for me to proceed to such 
extremities, but it was in obedience to the 
command of the sultan.’ 

“ ‘ I, for my part,’ said the king, ‘ am only 
vexed that my three hundred Swedes surren- 
dered when they did. Had they done their 
duty, we could have held out at least ten 
days longer.’ 

“ Notwithstanding the conduct of the king, 
he was treated in a manner that would have 
done credit to any Christian nation. He was 
conducted to Bender upon a richly-capari- 
soned horse and waited upon with marked 
respect by the pasha and his attendants. 
Owing to his own intercession, I was permit- 
ted to accompany him. The rest of my coun- 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 179 

trymen were not so fortunate. Officers and 
soldiers were chained together and dragged 
away into miserable slavery. This was the 
end of a war of ambition, lads. The king’s 
heart had become lifted up, and he said in his 
pride, ‘ I have done all this by the might of 
my power and for the honor of my majesty,’ 
and God cast him down from his high place. 
But, alas ! with all this he humbled not him- 
self ^ nor glorified the God in whose hand his 
very breath was.’ Even his chancellor and 
generals shared the same sad fate, until at 
length, released through the mediation of 
the king, they were permitted to return to 
Sweden. 

“All possible respect was shown to Charles 
when he arrived at Bender. A sumptuous 
couch was prepared for him; but as it had 
never been his custom to indulge in such 
luxuries, instead of making use of it he threw 
himself booted and spurred upon a divan, 


THE IRON HEAD. 


I So 

where he soon fell into a heavy sleep. A 
Turkish guard respectfully placed a covering 
upon his head, which the king soon thrust 
aside, to the utter amazement of the Mussul- 
man, who could not comprehend how a 
crowned monarch could rest Mn his boots 
and bare-headed.’ 

“The following morning the pasha con- 
ducted Baron Fabricius, who had been cap- 
tured in the redoubt, to his presence. He 
was deeply affected when he saw the deplo- 
rable condition of the ‘ king, with torn cloth- 
ing, eyebrows burnt, and his whole body 
covered with dust and blood.’ Bending the 
knee before him, he was at first unable to 
utter a word. As he saw that the king, in 
spite of all his misfortunes, was apparently in 
good spirits, he inquired if it were really true 
that he with his own hand had slain twenty 
Janizaries. ‘ Well, well,’ replied the king, ' a 
story, you know, never loses in the telling.’ 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. l8l 

We did not remain long at Bender, but 
were taken to Adrianople. The king’s treas- 
urer and chancellor, who had meantime been 
released, accompanied him, several of the of- 
ficers and myself following in his train. We 
could not refrain from tears as we looked upon 
our king, a captive among unbelievers. When 
some one suggested to the pasha that it would 
be courteous and proper to return to Charles 
his sword, he drew back in consternation, ex- 
claiming, * Allah protect us! he would cut off 
all our beards !’ but it was not long until it was 
given him. 

‘^When Adrianople was reached, Charles 
desired that he might fix his residence at De- 
motica, a castle in the neighborhood of the 
city. This wish was complied with, to be 
sure, but in so offensive a manner that it was 
easy to be seen that the hospitality of the 
Turks toward our king was considerably 

upon the wane. Provision was made for the 
16 


i 82 


THE IRON HEAD. 


king’s own table and that of his retinue, but 
only twenty-five crowns daily in money, in- 
stead of the five hundred he had received at 
Bender. 

Charles was now reaping what he had 
sown, and he rested at Demotica as upon 
thorns. The Turkish government was deter- 
mined to render his further stay as disagree- 
able as possible, and in addition to this hu- 
miliation news was brought the king from 
Sweden which certainly had not the effect of 
raising his spirits or temper. 

Grief and trouble at last did their work, 
and Charles was compelled to bow his proud 
head before them. His health gave way, and 
he was stretched upon a bed of sickness. As 
no word had been sent by him to Sweden 
since his stay fet Demotica, the report was cir- 
culated that he could not possibly recover. 
In consequence of this and his prolonged ab- 
sence from his kingdom, the Swedish council 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 183 

deemed it advisable to offer the regency to 
Ulrika, the king’s sister. They vindicated 
their position by saying that they had given 
up all hopes of Charles’ return, and that the 
long war had utterly impoverished the king- 
dom. Under these circumstances they deemed 
themselves justifiable in giving the reins of 
government into the hands of the princess, 
who in the name of her brother was to con- 
clude a peace with the czar of Russia. 

Ulrika knew her brother well enough to 
be aware that he would never sanction this 
step. So instead of proceeding to act upon 
her own responsibility, she sent General Lie- 
wen as ambassador to Demotica, who repre- 
sented truly to Charles the deplorable state 
of his kingdom, requesting his advice as to 
their mode of procedure. When he heard of 
the proposal of his x:ounsel, he was very in- 
dignant, exclaiming in his anger that he 
would ‘ rout them with his cane when he re- 


184 THE IRON HEAD. 

turned, and that meanwhile he would send 
his boots to preside at their session.’ 

The ambassador, a calm and judicious 
man, suffered the king to expend his wrath, 
then quietly and earnestly described the mis- 
ery and distress of his dominions. War, fam- 
ine and pestilence, he represented, had plunged 
Sweden into the most grievous and miserable 
condition, so that it was utterly unable to 
resist the constant ravages of the enemy; 
that with an exhausted treasury and impov- 
erished subjects the fleet could no longer be 
supported or the army recruited. ^ In short,’ 
said he, ‘ our situation is indeed extreme, and 
Sweden stands upon the very brink of de- 
struction. If your Majesty still obstinately 
persist in remaining absent from your king- 
dom, I will not be answerable for the conse- 
quences.’ 

“ * What do you mean by that ?’ curtly de- 
manded the king. 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 185 

“‘The deposing of your Majesty/ boldly 
replied the ambassador. 

“ This shot reached its mark, lads. The 
king sat as though lost in deep thought. At 
last he actually determined to return to his 
country and look after matters himself This 
resolve was at once conveyed by the French 
ambassador to the vizier. 

“ He replied, ‘ Tell him that he may either 
go or stay, as he please, but he must fix 
upon the day of his departure. Under no 
circumstances shall it be changed so as to 
bring us into such another difficulty as that 
of Bender.’ 

“ The ambassador communicated this mes- 
sage, but was too courteous to deliver it as 
rudely as it had been given, and the king 
named the ist day of October, 1714, as the 
date of his departure, asserting, however, that 
he would not leave as a fugitive, but as a king. 

He accordingly sent Baron Grotthusen with a 
16 * 


l86 THE IRON HEAD. 

retinue of fourteen persons as ^ambassador 
extraordinary ’ to Constantinople to take for- 
mal leave and return thanks for the protec- 
tion thus far vouchsafed. To equip and send 
this embassy threw the king into the greatest 
embarrassment. The treasurer bore also the 
commission to borrow one million from the 
Porte. He failed, however, in obtaining it, 
the grand vizier answering with dry coolness 
that ‘ his master knew how to give when he 
thought proper, but it was beneath his dignity 
to lend. The king,’ he said, ^should have 
every requisite for his journey, that possibly 
the sultan might make some pecuniary pres- 
ent, but he would not have it expected.’ And 
now was our king most bitterly humiliated, 
but he was obliged to submit to their condi- 
tions. It is not pleasant for me, my lads, to 
revert to these times. I had much rather 
pass them by. Would that the lesson might 
make a deep impression upon your future 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. * iS/ 

lives ! Always remember, as soldiers of your 
Fatherland, that unlawful ambition will ever 
meet with defeat and humiliation. This has 
been the inevitable consequence from the time 
‘ Lucifer, son of the morning,’ was cast down 
from heaven. He said in his heart, ‘ I will 
exalt my throne above the stars of God’, I will 
ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will 
be like the Most High.’ And God said: 
‘ Thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the 
sides of the pit. They that see thee shall 
narrowly look upon thee and consider thee, 
saying. Is this the man that made the earth 
to tremble, that did shake kingdoms ?’ Bet- 
ter, far better, to have said with the wise king 
of Israel, ‘Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, 
and the power, and the glory, and the victory, 
and the majesty, for all that is in the heaven 
and in the earth is thine. Thine is the king- 
dom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head 
above all. Both riches and honor come of 


i88 


THE IRON HEAD. 


thee, and thou reignest over all, and in thine 
hand is power and might, and in thine hand 
it is to make great and to give strength unto 
all.’ But I must hasten,” said the old war- 
der, with a sigh. The night is rapidly draw- 
ing to a close. 

“At length, to our joy, on the ist of 
October, 1714, we left Demotica for our 
journey home. The sultan presented the 
king with a magnificent purple tent richly 
embroidered with gold, a sabre whose hilt 
was studded with diamonds, and eight Arabian 
horses splendidly caparisoned, together with 
every requisite for our journey. Several com- 
panies of Janizaries and other troops were 
also appointed to accompany the king to the 
frontiers. When the pasha learned that the 
king’s attendants had borrowed money from 
the Turks at an enormous percentage, he 
told Charles that only the principal, not the 
exorbitant interest, need be paid, * that usury 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 189 

was forbidden by the Mahometan law.’ Our 
proud sovereign was not willing, however, to 
avail himself of this hint, replying, ‘ No, if 
any of my people have given bills for a hun- 
dred crowns, I will pay them, though they 
should not even have received ten propos- 
ing to his creditors to follow him to Sweden, 
assuring them that all should be paid, even 
to the last heller and pfennig, and this was 
actually done, lads. Several of them went to 
Sweden, ‘and Grotthusen was commissioned 
to see them paid.’ 

“The Turks, out of respect for the king, 
made very short day’s marches. This court- 
esy, you may well imagine, he was unable 
to appreciate; his restless, impatient spirit 
could not brook restraint. An ardent long- 
ing for his country, toward which he had for 
so long a time been indifferent, now took pos- 
session of him, and, as usual, this desire had 
to be gratified at all hazards. 


190 THE IRON HEAD. 

He retained upon the journey his usual 
habit of rising about three o’clock in the 
morning, awakening his attendants and con- 
tinuing the march before it was light. This 
course excited considerable surprise among 
the Turks, and every morning was heard 
upon all sides the cry, ‘ Allah il Allah ! what 
a sultan !’ 

“ In this way we journeyed until we reached 
the borders of Transylvania, where the king 
took leave of his Turkish attendants. And 
now our route lay through the imperial do- 
minions. The king had received a safe-con- 
duct in the name of the emperor, the princes 
and states of Germany. Times were not as 
they had been when Charles was at the head 
of a powerful and victorious army. Ah ! the 
comparison was sad and humiliating to us 
Swedes. 

“ All arrangements had been made by his 
imperial Majesty to entertain the king in a 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. I9I 

manner suitable to his dignity; the entire 
route was accurately laid down, even where 
he should dine and sleep. Those in authority 
at the designated points had orders to treat 
their royal guest with all possible respect 
and honor. The king could have journeyed 
with great comfort had he not been tormented 
by his impatient, restless spirit. Men, women 
and children flocked together from all the 
towns and villages along our way to look 
upon the renowned king of Sweden, whose 
very name had inspired all Europe with terror. 
This, I can assure you, was not to the fancy 
of the king, who knew that all these atten- 
tions only rendered his misfortunes more 
conspicuous. 

“And now he resolved upon the course 
which I have no doubt he had for some time 
contemplated. One evening — well do I re- 
member the time, boys — he informed his two 
adjutants, Baron Rossen and Colonel During, 


192 THE IRON HEAD. 

that he intended, upon the dawn of the fol- 
lowing morning, to separate himself from his 
attendants, and proceed post to Sweden, so 
as to arrive in his own kingdom as soon as 
possible. They two should accompany him, 
but the rest of his attendants should follow 
the prescribed route,, making their way to 
Stralsund, where they would again meet. The 
adjutants, as you can imagine, were taken by 
surprise by this announcement, but acquiesced 
willingly in the king’s desire. Upon that 
same evening, Charles gathered together his 
followers, informing them of his design. No 
one dreamed of opposing him, yet the com- 
munication caused the greatest consternation 
and regret. This sudden change of affairs 
took me completely by surprise, but I quickly 
and decidedly resolved that upon no con- 
sideration would I be separated from the king. 
I had not long to make my arrangements. 
First of all, I chose one of the very best of 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. I93 

the Arabian horses, and lay down close be- 
side the door of the barn where the king had 
taken up his quarters for the night. Before 
daybreak I was awake, and awaited in silence 
what would follow. By the first faint streak 
of gray the horses were ready, and the 
king, Rossen and During, mounting, galloped 
rapidly from the spot. So as to completely 
disguise himself, the king wore a black wig 
and the uniform of an officer. As he passed 
from the barn, I saw him cast one pitying 
glance toward his sleeping followers, then 
leap upon his horse, whose stirrups During 
held. 

“ * On, Rossen, on !’ he then exclaimed. 
‘ Do not forget that until we reach Stralsund 
I am not the king, but Karl Frisch, Swedish 
captain.’ 

“ Giving then his horse the spur, he rode 
from the spot, his two attendants, at full speed, 

after him. 

17 


N 


194 the iron head. 

‘"‘Aha!’ thought I; 'Karl Frisch, is it? 
Swedish captain! It will be well to know 
the name in case I should lose the trace.’ 

“ My horse was fresh, a splendid, indefati- 
gable racer. When I could hear but faintly 
the hoof-beats of the riders, I mounted my 
steed, and fleet as a bird flew after the king. 
When the day dawned I kept at a respectful 
distance from them, so as not to be seen until 
the right time. It would have been an easy 
thing for me to have caught up with them. 
Several times during the course of the day 
did they change horses, but my Abdul was 
as fresh and active in the evening as though 
he had only traveled a few hours. As twilight 
drew on, I thought the king would remain 
at the next station during the night, but I 
had not judged aright. It was quite dark 
as we rode into the post-yard, so that I had 
no fear of being recognized by the king or 
his attendants. However, it mattered but 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. I95 

little to me now whether he found me out 
or not. We were a good distance from the 
camp, and I felt pretty certain that I would 
not be sent back. Nevertheless, I came to 
the conclusion that I would not present my- 
self before him until the following morning. 

** The king had scarcely entered the yard, 
I close at* his heels, when he exclaimed, 
impatiently : * Quick, sir postmaster ! Three 
courier horses, and postilion as guide. We 
have not one moment to lose !’ 

“ ‘ Not quite so fast, master !’ replied the 
man; *the horses must be first saddled. You 
had much better step into the house, gentle- 
men.’ 

“*How long will it take to have them 
ready, sirrah ? How long ?’ 

“ * About ten minutes. I will order the 
postilion to make all possible haste.’ 

“This statement appeared to satisfy the 
king, for he at once alighted and entered the 


196 THE IRON HEAD. 

house with his companions. This arrange- 
ment was not in the least satisfactory to me — 
not that I cared to ride a station farther, but 
I thought of my noble Abdul : he ought to 
have an hour to rest. 

“ Setting my wits to work, I crept as silent- 
ly as possible to the stable, and, seeking the 
postilion, promised him a ducat trinkgeld if 
he would oblige me by delaying the harness- 
ing of the horses as long as possible. The 
fellow was easily persuaded. ^ Let me alone 
for that, sir,’ said he ; ‘ I can be as slow as 
you would desire.’ 

Leaving him to arrange affairs as he 
thought best, and throwing Abdul some oats, 
I entered the kitchen of the inn, where I 
called for something to eat, and bread and 
wine for my horse. As I passed out I heard 
the postmaster, who stood in the doorway, 
lustily scolding the postilion for his tardi- 
ness. It did not appear to discompose him. 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. I97 

for he answered quite coolly that he would 
be ready as soon as he could get the harness 
in order. I meanwhile enjoyed a quiet laugh, 
lads, at the king’s expense. Soaking the 
bread I had carried to the stall in some of 
the wine, I gave it to the noble animal, and 
with the rest I washed and rubbed his slen- 
der limbs, as I had many a time seen our 
cavalry do when they wished to prepare their 
horses for some extraordinary service. Be- 
fore an hour had expired I was ready, and 
handed the postilion the promised reward. 
The fellow had well earned it, I can tell you, 
for he had to stand, meantime, any amount 
of abuse and threats, not only from his mas- 
ter, but from the king. 

“ It was not long after he felt the ducat in 
his pocket that the horses stood before the 
door. The king and his adjutants lost no 
time in mounting, and rode at full gallop out 
of the yard. I did the same, and soon found 

17 * 


198 THE IRON HEAD. 

myself close at the side of the king. I was 
now in for it. 

' Is that you, During ?’ he hurriedly in- 
quired. 

“‘Pardon me, your Majesty, it is I,’ was 
my answer. 

“^Who are you, churl,’ he cried, ‘and how 
do I happen to be known to you ?’ 

“‘I know your Majesty well,’ I replied, 
‘ and you have long known me.’ 

“ With an ejaculation of impatience the 
king drew his horse up to mine, and, looking 
under my hat keenly, cried : ‘ Roos, you rascal ! 
how came you here? I thought the knave 
had some sense of propriety,’ he added, angrily. 

“‘Your Majesty thought aright,’ I re- 
turned ; ‘ I would not suffer my king to ride 
alone.’ 

“ ‘ But you are not needed, sirrah,’ he cried. 
‘ Return instantly, you impudent scoundrel, 
and join the rest of my men !’ 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. I99 

your Majesty’s command,’ said I, 
dryly; ^only I would first pray you for my 
discharge.’ 

“*For what? for what?’ he cried; ‘but 
you shall have it, churl, you shall have it 
for your insufferable insolence. You have 
it now, sirrah, now !’ 

“ ‘ Thank you, my lord,’ said I, still riding 
close beside him. 

“ ‘ Knave ! why do you not go back ?’ 
said his Majesty to me again after a short 
silence. 

“ ‘ Because I do not wish to,’ I replied, 
coolly. 

“ ‘ But I command you, fellow.’ 

“‘Your Majesty has no further right to 
command after I have received my discharge.’ 

“ ‘Where do you intend to go now, sirrah?’ 
he hotly demanded. 

“‘To follow close by your Majesty. The 
highway is free.’ 


200 


THE IRON HEAD. 


your peril, Richard Roos ! I shall 

shoot’ 

“ ‘Do so, then, sire,- for you will get rid of 
me in no other way.’ 

“ ‘ That is honestly spoken, truly,’ said the 
king, laughing ^loud and giving me a light 
stroke with his riding- whip. ‘ You may stay 
beside me, Roos, for aught I care,’ he added 
in an altered tone. ‘You are worse than a 
burr, fellow, but I know, at all events, that 
you are to be depended upon. Ride along, 
my old friend ; I can assure you that this will 
not be a pleasure-trip. Understand, I am 
Swedish Captain Frisch.’ 

“ ‘ I hear, captain.’ 

“ ‘ Spur up your horse, my man : we have 
no time to lose.’ 

“ ‘ But my discharge ?’ I inquired. 

“‘Pah! Captain Frisch gave it you, but 
King Charles does not ratify it. Forward !’ 

“And forward we went through all that 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 


201 


dark night, and how we ever reached the 
next station without broken necks is to this 
day a mystery to me. Here we had a few 
hours’ rest, but morning had scarcely dawned 
before he roused us out of sleep. Rossen and 
During, I can tell you, made great eyes when 
they first espied me, but as the king suffered 
me to remain, they offered no objection. 
Full two hours before sunrise we were in 
the saddle, and galloped away as madly as 
before. I was anxious about my brave Ab- 
dul. I knew he could not possibly stand 
such another day as yesterday, and I parted 
with the noble creature to the postmaster for 
a considerable sum of money, although it 
was not the half that he was really worth; 
but a pocket full of gold is better than a 
dead horse, and in such a mad flight as the 
king’s he could not possibly have held out 
much longer. Sorry enough was I to part 
with him, and now I was obliged to take a 


202 


THE IRON HEAD. 


post-horse like the rest, very unlike my beau- 
tiful Arabian steed. 

“ From one station to another we rushed. 
That was a ride, lads ! Never while memory 
lasts will I forget it. The king, in order to 
avoid falling into the hands of his enemies, 
was obliged to take all the byroads, but a 
dozen miles or so made but little difference 
to him if he only successfully accomplished 
his object. In this manner we rode through 
Hungary, Moravia, Austria, Bavaria, Wiir- 
temberg, the Palatinate, Westphalia and 
Mecklenburg. We almost made the tour of 
Germany, lengthening thereby our journey 
by at least one-half. Neither day nor night 
did the king allow us time for repose. On ! 
on ! was the watchword. Even when we 
stopped during the night at a station, we 
would scarcely close our eyes in slumber be- 
fore the king would arouse us, and, almost 
drunken with sleep, we must again take the 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 203 

saddle and forward. We rode until our 
panting beasts threatened to fall beneath us. 
But what cared he? Up mountain, down 
dale, along good road and bad, through 
ditches^ over hedges, across deserts and for- 
ests — onward we rode. Such a ride as that, 
lads, the world never saw, nor is it likely will 
see soon again. 

“And the worst part of it was, that the 
king could have made the journey so com- 
fortably, instead of racing along at the peril 
of our lives. Meanwhile, the curious specta- 
tors the rest of our party met with on their 
way almost gaped their eyes out trying to 
see the great King Charles, who was far 
enough away, striking flint and spark from 
beneath his horse’s feet. 

“Baron Rossen was unable to hold out, 
and was obliged to stay behind in Hungary. 
During kept up nobly, but at last fell from 
his horse in a faint, at Bavaria. Charles ran 


204 the iron head. 

impatiently hither and thither, while I tried 
to bring the poor colonel to himself. He 
was scarcely conscious when the restless 
king, whose feet the very ground under 
them seemed to burn, demanded how much 
money he had in his possession. * Some 
thousand crowns in gold,’ was the faint an- 
swer. * Good !’ said Charles ; * give me the 
half of it, then. During, I see you are 
unable to follow me; I will go on alone. 
Roos can stay and take care of you, and 
then you can both come after me.’ 

“‘Your Majesty surely would not travel 
alone ?’ cried the colonel. ‘ I pray you only 
tarry but three hours, my lord ; by that time 
I will certainly be able to proceed.’ 

“ ‘ That will not answer,’ said the king. 
‘ Give me five hundred crowns, and I will 
start at once.’ 

“ The colonel entreated him not to venture, 
even going so far as to refuse the money he 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 205 

demanded. I soon saw that it would not do 
to persist in this course, for the king’s eyes 
had begun to roll wildly, a sure sign that 
he was not to be trifled with any longer. 

Give him the money,’ I whispered the 
colonel as I stooped down, pretending to be 
rendering the poor man some further service, 
*and I will arrange matters as you would 
desire. I will take the responsibility: you 
see for yourself there is no capitulation in 
his Majesty.’ 

“ Poor During drew out the purse, and 
while Charles hastily divided the money, I 
secretly left the room, and drawing the post- 
master, who had witnessed the whole scene, 
aside, whispered, 

“ ‘ Those men are partners, and are traveling 
together upon the same business. You see 
one of them is sick, and the other is unwill- 
ing to wait for him even three hours. Now, 

I have a favor to ask of you : do you give 
18 


206 


THE IRON HEAD. 


to the impatient man the worst animal in 
your stable, and after he leaves let me have 
an easy chaise with a lively pair of horses. 
But quick, my man, and look to it that you 
do not betray me,’ adding force at the same 
time to my persuasions by pressing in his 
hand two ducats. This plan had worked so 
admirably with the postilion that I thought 
I would try what effect it would have here. 
Again it accomplished my purpose. The 
postmaster provided for the king a restive 
but miserable, stumbling creature, and it was 
not long until he set out from the station 
alone. ^ Adieu !’ he called, waving his hand 
toward During and myself. ‘ I will see you 
again in Stralsund.’ 

“ ' Ride on,’ thought I, * but we will meet 
sooner than your Majesty thinks.’ 

“ It was ten o’clock at night, and pitch 
dark, when the king set out alone from the 
station in a heavy fall of snow, wind and rain. 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 20/ 

My heart bled for him, but it was his own 
fault, his perverse, impatient spirit, which 
could not brook restraint. Turning now to 
the colonel, who really required my services, 
I insisted that he should lie down and try 
to sleep quietly for a few hours, telling him, 
so as to ease his mind, about my stratagem, 
whereby we could without doubt catch up 
before morning with the king. This was 
welcome news, and lying down he slept 
soundly for at least two full hours, awaken- 
ing much refreshed in mind and body. Our 
chaise now stood before the door; seating 
ourselves and whipping up the horses, we 
flew along like the wind. 

^^Just as the gray of morning struggled 
with the darkness of night, we espied, in the 
road before us, a manly form wrapped in a 
rider’s mantle. ' We have him, colonel,’ said 
I ; ‘ it is the king !’ 

*^And Charles it was, truly, almost dead 


208 


THE IRON HEAD. 


with impatience and fatigue; all efforts to 
spur on his poor stumbling horse were in 
vain. In his vexation he had leaped from 
his back, and was now hurrying along on 
foot to the next station. 

“ * That wretched beast !’ he exclaimed as 
he fell back, almost exhausted, in the com- 
fortable chaise. * But how did you get these 
splendid animals, During ?’ 

* By the exercise of a little patience, my 
lord,’ I_ replied. ^Your Majesty would have 
done considerably better had you stayed with 
us, for you not only would have been as far 
on your journey, but you would have gained 
some hours of quiet rest’ 

“The king gave me a side glance, but 
the truth of my words seemed to have pene- 
trated his iron head, for he leaned himself 
back in the corner of the vehicle and slept 
until we reached the next station. 

“ * Horses ! horses ! quick ! hurry !’ were his 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 20g 

first impetuous words as we drove into the 
post yard. 

'‘A few moments and we again sat in the 
saddle, and galloped on as fast as before. In 
this manner, without rest, we rode through 
Germany until we reached Cassel. 

“ ‘ We are far enough now from the Turk- 
ish border not to be recognized,’ said Charles. 
‘ Here we can sit down and dine for once in 
peace.’ 

“We did so, and escaped, by so doing, 
only by a hair’s breadth of being betrayed. 
The landgrave of Hesse-Cassel had received 
intelligence that the king had left his attend- 
ants, and conjectured that in all probability 
his route would lie through his dominions. 
He had accordingly ordered one of his of- 
ficers, Brigadier Kagg, who, by the way, was 
a countryman of ours, to arrest all strangers 
passing through the place ; and to communi- 
cate immediately with him, so that in case 
18 * 0 


210 


THE IRON HEAD. 


the king attempted to make his way incognito 
through Cassel he might at once be apprised 
of the fact. 

“ Now this fellow, Kagg, we met in the inn 
and ate at the same table with him. The 
brigadier’s suspicions seemed to be somewhat 
excited with reference to Captain Frisch, 
thinking probably that he might be the king 
himself. This fancy was perhaps still further 
strengthened by his observing that he took 
no wine, the abstemiousness of Charles being 
well known to all the world. 

“ ^ Have you learned from your king not 
to drink anything but water?’ he suddenly 
asked across the table. 

“Taking up the wineglass that stood be- 
side his plate and emptying it, Charles said, 
with the utmost coolness, ^Your health, sir! 
Who told you I did not drink wine ?’ 

“ Nevertheless, he made me a sign to have 
the horses in readiness. So soon as they 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 


21 I 


stood before the door he sprang up from the 
table, and, bowing derisively to the brigadier, 
said, ‘ My dear Kagg, farewell ; be pleased 
to greet the landgrave for me;’ and before 
the startled man could recover from his sur- 
prise we had mounted our horses, and soon 
dashed in wild speed through the streets and 
out of the gate of the city. 

“ We met with several similar adventures, 
but I have not time to tell of any more now, 
my lads. The night is passing away, and we 
must bring our story to a close. After six- 
teen days’ riding we stood, about midnight of 
the 2 1st of November, 1714, before the walls 
of Stralsund. Only three hundred and thir- 
ty-six hours had we consumed in riding two 
hundred and eighty-six German miles. But 
the king had a body with sinews of steel. 
He cared not for fatigue. As I said, we at 
last stood before the gate of the fortress. 
The king loudly demanded admittance. 


212 


THE IRON HEAD. 


“'The commandant has the keys, and he 
is in bed,’ was harshly returned. ‘ Patience, 
my good friend ! to-morrow morning early 
you shall be the first one to enter.’ 

“‘Get the keys, churl, instantly, and 
waken the commandant.’ 

“ ‘ That will I not,’ answered the sentinel ; 
‘ it might be somewhat the worse for me.’ 

“ ‘ If you do not, it may be still worse for 
you, my man, I can tell you. Get the keys, 
knave, without another moment’s parley.’ 

“ The tone of the king might well intim- 
idate the poor fellow. Leaving instantly, he 
brought back with him the sergeant. ‘ How 
strange !’ said the king, meantime, to us. ‘ I 
stand before my own fortress a stranger, and 
cannot enter. They will sing a different tune 
to-morrow, methinks.’ 

“ ‘ Who is he that exacts entrance at 
this hour of the night?’ demanded the of- 
ficer. 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 213 

‘‘‘A courier from Turkey,’ answered 
Charles, shortly. 

“‘What do you bring?’ 

“ ‘ Despatches from the king of Sweden, 
and if I am not admitted instantly, the whole 
watch shall be hanged to-morrow,’ was the 
reply. 

“Whether the sergeant had a suspicion 
that possibly it might be the king himself or 
not, he deemed it the wiser course to obtain 
the keys and awake the commandant. Soon 
creaked the ponderous gate of the fortress. 
Our horses trotted through, and we were in 
Stralsund. Charles was at once led to Gen- 
eral Diicker, who ‘was still half asleep.* 
He did not recognize the king, and, under 
the impression that a courier was before him, 
asked abruptly : 

‘“What news do you bring from Turkey?’ 

“‘Am^I, then, a stranger to my faithful 
subject ?’ asked the king. 


214 


THE IRON HEAD. 


The old general’s eyes were open wide 
enough now, I can tell you, boys. ^ My 
king !’ he cried, full of joy, bending the knee 
before him. 

'^‘The king! the king!’ now passed from 
lip to lip; and soon the streets of Stralsund 
that quiet night resounded with the glad cry, 
‘ The king has come ! the king has come !’ 
‘God be thanked!’ was uttered fervently by 
many a depressed and fainting heart. Sleep 
was banished from the fortress that night. 
The inhabitants crowded upon the streets, 
and cries of joy and shouts of delight rent 
the air. Men, brave men, as they heard the 
news, embraced one another and wept in one 
glad tumult of joyous emotion. The soldiers 
streamed from the barracks, surrounding the 
house in which they had heard the king was ; 
and, upon further assurance that it was in- 
deed he, added their shouts of triumph to the 
wild confusion. The bells with their brazen 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 215 

tongues pealed forth the glad tidings, while 
from cannon-mouth thundered the news far 
out over land and sea. Soon the whole city 
was one full blaze of light. At the remem- 
brance of that night, lads, my old heart still 
throbs high with joy. 

^^We were the only ones, I ween, who slept 
that night. In the midst of the tumult the 
king was led to his bed; for sixteen days he 
had not enjoyed one hour of quiet rest. We 
were obliged to cut his boots from off his 
swollen legs; then, throwing himself down 
upon his couch, he soon fell into a heavy 
sleep. During and I lay, meanwhile, at his 
feet upon mattrasses which had been spread 
for us upon the floor. We needed no lul- 
laby, lads : to sleep was sweet indeed ; while 
up and down before our door patroled a 
genuine Swedish guard. 

But we were not suffered to rest many 
hours. The king awoke, and, rousing us, 


2I6 


THE IRON HEAD. 


started out, reviewed the troops, examined 
the fortifications, and, in order to lose no 
time, ‘ gave orders for renewing the war with 
redoubled vigor.’ Couriers flew in all direc- 
tions, and the Swedes soon found that Charles 
had returned to his kingdom unchanged.” 

At this part of his narration the old sol- 
dier paused, gazing, meantime, sadly and ab- 
stractedly into the fire, whose burning coals 
still sent out the “ radiance of their light over 
the restless sea.” Olav Sparre’s clear voice 
at length aroused him from his reverie. 

“ Come, come, old friend ! are we to hear 
no more of your story ? The night will soon 
be gone. We are all anxiously waiting to 
hear the rest before we leave.” 

“Yes, yes, lads, you shall hear, you shall 
hear it to the end,” said the old man, sigh- 
ing heavily, and starting as though rudely 
awakened from a deep dream. “ Excuse me, 
children, that I lingered longer than was 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 21/ 

necessary over the last happy hours of 
our king — yes, the last. But you are right, 
Olav; it is time we brought our story to 
an end. 

Charles was much gratified at the joy his 
subjects evinced at his presence, and I never 
saw him so calm and cheerful as during the 
first few days after his return to his Father- 
land. But these were the last beams of sun- 
shine that brightened his path. Clouds again^ 
gathered darkly over his horizon, bearing in 
their bosom the lightning which should 
scathe his iron head. 

It was not long before the tumult of war 
resounded upon all sides. Prussia, Saxony, 
Denmark and Russia 'entered into stricter 
bonds of amity than ever,’ and although our 
king acted with his accustomed bravery, he 
was, in the end, unable to resist their over- 
whelming numbers. Six and thirty thousand 
men now laid siege to Stralsund, whose gar- 

19 


2i8 


THE IRON HEAD. 


rison amounted to only nine thousand. The 
allies might have besieged it in vain had 
they not been specially favored. 

“Lieutenant-Colonel Koppen, adjutant of 
the king of Prussia, had spent his youth in 
Stralsund, bathing often in the Baltic Sea. 
From this circumstance particularly he re- 
tained a recollection that just at the spot 
where the Swedish fortifications ended the 
sea was only three or four feet deep. He 
proposed that he should take the fort by 
surprise at this point. The king consenting 
to the undertaking, eighteen hundred men 
were ordered to the designated spot, wading 
like sea-dogs through the water. Koppen 
commanded the van, and sword in hand 
passed over confidently and successfully. 
One hour after midnight they set out, and 
in order to divert the attention of us Swedes, 
at the same time two thousand advanced upon 
the ‘ causeway that led to the fort.’ We were 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 2ig 

completely deceived by this strategy : not one 
of us thought of the Prussians swimming like 
fish through the water. Upon reaching the 
spot the soldiers rose up out of the sea, and 
before we had the slightest intimation were 
directly beneath us, as though they had 
dropped down from the clouds. We were 
completely taken by surprise, and the post 
was carried after * a terrible slaughter.’ We 
were now obliged to withdraw into the town, 
‘ which was saved for this time, at least.’ By 
this strategy of the enemy we lost four and 
twenty pieces of cannon ; and four hundred 
of our men were taken prisoners. 

“That was a hard blow, lads. I do not 
like to think of it. But a harder came soon 
after. 

“Without obtaining possession of the isl- 
and of Riigen the allies could not reckon 
securely upon Stralsund ; this must be at once 
taken. Accordingly, Prince Leopold of An- 


220 


THE IRON HEAD. 


halt prepared to wrest it from us ; this was a 
hard piece of work, but he was the very one 
who could accomplish it. Upon a foggy day 
the prince landed at the village of Stresow 
with twelve thousand brave troops, we hav- 
ing only about three thousand with which to 
make resistance. His first business was to for- 
tify the place ; he then entrenched his army 
behind a deep ditch ‘ fenced by chevaux-de- 
frise,’ and there awaited our king, who dy 
not give him time to become impatient. 

“ As soon as Charles learned of the land- 
ing of the prince of Anhalt, he at once set 
sail for the island, arriving on the evening of 
the same day about nine o’clock. At mid- 
night we marched upon Stresow, expecting 
by our sudden attack to surprise the enemy. 
We reached the village so silently that we 
stood directly opposite the camp before they 
were aware of our approach. The alarm was 
not given until a Prussian sentinel heard the 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 


221 


king, in low tones, order the assault. And 
now a surprise awaited us, in our turn, for 
we had not calculated upon the broad, deep 
ditch before us. 

“ ‘ Ha !’ Charles exclaimed when he saw it, 
' I did not expect this. But it matters not ; 
in and up, men !’ We clambered across the 
ditch, and found ourselves in the midst of 
the camp of the allies. At our first attack 
the Danes and Prussians broke in confu- 
sion, but the prince of Anhalt was a great 
commander, boys. Quickly collecting his 
disordered troops, after some hard fighting 
he drove us back through the ditch, pur- 
suing us even to the plain. 

“ The king had his horse shot under him, 
and barely escaped being taken prisoner. 
He was recognized by a Danish officer, who, 
seizing him by the arm, called out, ‘ Surren- 
der, or you are a dead man !’ but Charles 
used effectively the pistol in his belt and 


222 


THE IRON HEAD. 


escaped upon the horse of the fallen officer. 
A second time was he surrounded, and a sec- 
ond time did he escape, bearing with him, 
however, a musket-shot in his breast. We 
soldiers did our best, but we left dead upon 
the field of battle five hundred of our brave 
comrades — among them the king’s favorite 
generals, Grotthusen and Daldorf. Colonel 
During, also, our companion through Turkey, 
met his sad fate upon that sorrowful night. 
I, too, received a shot in my breast, which 
rendered me for the time unfit for service. 
My comrades carried me to a place of refuge. 
Some days later we were obliged to surren- 
der, and Riigen as well as we fell into the 
hands of the enemy. The king, meanwhile, 
owed his life a second time to the exertions 
of Count Poniatowski, who, apprehending 
that Charles would share the fate of his 
army, hurried with him to the coast, where 
a small boat was in waiting, in which, no 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 223 

wiser and as perverse as ever, he returned to 
Stralsund. 

“ Three long years passed away before I 
saw the king again, shortly before the unfor- 
tunate shot that caused his sudden and early 
death. Meantime, the king had been shut up 
in Stralsund, and had lost everything but his 
indomitable courage. A comrade related to 
me after my return an instance of this. One 
day whilst he was dictating a letter to his 
secretary, a bomb fell through the roof of 
the house into the room next to where they 
were sitting. The secretary, terrified lest it 
should come down upon them, let his pen 
drop out of his hand. ‘ What is the reason,’ 
said the king, with great composure, ‘that 
you do not write?’ The secretary could 
only utter with a faltering voice, ‘Ah, sire, 
the bomb.’ ‘Well,’ replied the king, ‘what 
has the bomb to do with what I am dictating 
to you ? Go on, sir, go on.’ But, although 


224 THE IRON HEAD. 

he still retained his courage and skill, he was 
unable, now Riigen was in the enemy’s hand, 
to save Stralsund. Upon the night of the 
20 th of December, 1715, he embarked in a 
sloop, passing the ships and batteries of the 
enemy, and at last reached Ystad, in Scania, 
at once repairing to Carlscrona. 

“ But of these three years I can tell you 
nothing about the king that I saw with my 
own eyes. I was, as I said before, a Prus- 
sian prisoner, and lay for a long time disabled 
by my wounds, but I heard enough to cause 
me the deepest sorrow and regret. Through 
the greatest exertion the king at length gath- 
ered together an army to lead against Den- 
mark. It was in the very depth of winter, 
and he calculated upon marching over the 
frozen sound, but, thawing weather setting in, 
he was forced to change his course, and he 
invaded Norway instead. At first the Danes 
were everywhere defeated, but, reinforcements 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 225 

arriving from Denmark, and his provisions 
failing, he was obliged to return to Sweden 
with the loss of almost a third of his 
army. 

“ For a short time he rested, but only to 
prepare anew for war. In the year 1718 
Charles collected a large army, thereby drain- 
ing the country of its last resource. This 
army he divided into two corps. The one 
under General Armfeldt he ordered to the 
north, the other, which he commanded in 
person, he led to the south of Norway, 
where he laid siege to Frederickshald, which 
the Danes had fortified anew. General Arm- 
feldt laid siege, meanwhile, to Dronth^m, 
but was unable to take it. The greater part 
of his army perished with hunger and cold 
on his retreat to Sweden. Scarcely five 
hundred of the thousands who entered upon 
that unfortunate campaign ever reached their 
Fatherland. 


P 


226 


THE IRON HEAD. 


As I said before, several years had passed 
since I had seen the king. After escaping 
from the Prussian prison, I made my way to 
Frederickshald, before which city I heard 
Charles was encamped. He was inspecting 
the trench when I first saw him, which, 
notwithstanding the frozen condition of the 
ground, he had opened before the fortress in 
company with Colonel Siquier, a French en- 
gineer. I did not take a fancy to the man 
from the first; his face had, I thought, a 
lowering, evil expression. I watched him 
closely whilst he was engaged in conversa- 
tion with the king, who was reproaching him 
severely with the slow progress of his work. 
Siquier received all his recriminations calmly, 
but I noted the sinister smile that passed 
over his face as he excused himself for his 
delay by pleading the frozen condition of the 
earth, which was, in truth, at this time as 
hard as a rock. With a gesture of impa- 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 22/ 

tience the king turned from him, his eye, as 
he did so, lighting upon me. 

‘“Roos, my brave old friend!’ he cried, 
heartily, extending to me at the same time 
his hand. Clasping it in mine, deeply moved 
by his grace, I kissed it fervently, bending 
my knee before him. ‘What has brought 
you to Frederickshald ? I thought you were 
dead, Roos, years ago.’ 

“ ‘ No, no, your Majesty,’ I replied ; ‘ I still 
live, and my last drop of blood belongs to 
you. I trust you will suffer me to fight at 
your side, as in years gone by.’ 

“‘You are welcome, Roos, heartily wel- 
come,’ said he as he raised me up. ‘ Colonel 
Siquier, an old friend. Colonel Roos, one of 
the few who has survived Narva, Poltava and 
Bender. I need brave men now, particularly. 
Come with me and we will make the round 
of the fortress, my man.’ 

“ My advent, apparently, was not very 


228 


THE IRON HEAD. 


agreeable to the Frenchman. As we left, I 
noticed that he conversed in a low tone, 
looking toward me at the same time, with 
a fellow who stood near, a countryman of 
his, by the way, called Megret. His looks 
and whisperings troubled me but little, how- 
ever, for I was still in favor with my sove- 
reign, who at once ordered me a tent near 
his own. 

*‘The hardships and fatigues of eighteen 
years had turned the king’s constitution to 
iron. In the severest weather he slept upon 
straw, or a board laid upon the bare ground, 
with no other covering than his mantle. 
Many a poor fellow froze at his post, but 
I heard no complaints, for Charles did not 
spare himself 

“ The siege progressed but slowly. Upon 
the morning of the nth of December I 
again found Siquier with him, and, as be- 
fore, Charles was indulging in some bitter 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 229 

invectives against his most unaccountable 
tardiness. Again did I see that malignant 
smile darken his unpleasant countenance: it 
awakened 'within me an indefinable appre- 
hension of evil. His excuse was plausible 
as before, and he vowed that within eight 
days the work should be accomplished. Not- 
withstanding this assurance, the king left him 
very ungraciously, and when we were alone 
I availed myself of the opportunity to warn 
him to be upon his guard against the French- 
man. 

“Unfortunately, I could not persuade him 
to listen. He interrupted me with, ‘ I know 
all you would say, my good fellow; let us 
hear no more about it. I know the man. 
You must not speak evil of any when you 
talk to your king, Roos.’ 

“I attempted to excuse myself, but he 
would not allow it, saying, ' Enough, enough, 

Roos; you have been a faithful servant to 
20 


230 THE IRON HEAD. 

me, old friend, but not one word more con- 
cerning Siquier. It is now time we were 
with our men at morning service.’ 

“ It was the first Sunday in Advent, lads. 
All unnecessary work was suspended, and we 
listened, I trust devoutly, to both the morn- 
ing and afternoon service. Late in the even- 
ing, toward ten o’clock I think it was, when 
I entered his tent, both Frenchmen, Siquier 
and Megret, were there. On a sudden it oc- 
curred to the king that he would betake him- 
self to the trench, and take a view by star- 
light of the progress of the siege. As a 
matter of course, the rest of us followed. 

Charles, as usual, took a most dangerous 
position, ‘standing upon a gabion ^nd lean- 
ing with his arm over the parapet’ Turning 
suddenly to me, he said : ‘ Roos, my good 
fellow, go to my tent and bring m6 the tele- 
scope which lies upon the table.’ 

“ I turned to obey, but an indefinable 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 23I 

presentiment of evil came over me in a 
most remarkable manner, and I delayed, ex- 
cusing myself, as I did so, by saying : * It is 
bitter cold, your Majesty: would it not be 
well for you to defer your examination until 
to-morrow ?’ 

“ ‘ No, no Roos ; it must be done now,’ he 
replied. 

It did not do to linger. I hastened to the 
tent with all possible speed, for I did not like 
the idea of leaving him alone with those two 
Frenchmen. On my way back I heard the 
report of a shot: my heart sank within me. 
Almost breathless, I reached the trench, where 
I was met by Siquier. ^ Where is the king ?’ 
I cried, in great excitement. 

“ ‘ The play is at an end,’ he coolly re- 
plied. ‘ He has been struck by a ball from 
the fortress.’ 

^ Scoundrel ! knave ! you, and you alone, 
are answerable for this !’ I cried aloud, in my 


232 THE IRON HEAD. 

rage, as I rushed madly past him. Ah! it 
was only too true I The king was dead — 
yes, dead! A ball had entered his temple 
and done its fatal work. His head lay upon 
the parapet, his right hand still convulsively 
grasping the hilt of his sword. . 

My loud and bitter outcry drew the guard 
to the spot. In these arms, lads, was the 
royal corpse borne to his tent. My heart 
told me that the deadly ball had not come 
from hostile hand, but that our king had 
fallen by the shot of a cowardly assassin. 
From the fortress musket-balls only had been 
fired, but Charles’ death was caused by a ball 
from a pistol. To this day I firmly believe 
that Siquier was his murderer. When they 
sought for him he could not be found. But 
my king was dead, and with him died all 
the hopes and aspirations of my life. I loved 
him, and he had ever been to me a kind and 
generous master.” 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 233 

The old man ^yas silent. His heart had 
been deeply shaken through these still living 
reminiscences, and tears glistened upon his 
gray lashes. A grave and mournful silence 
for some moments fell upon the little group 
that surrounded the old warder. 

Peace to his ashes, and rest to the heart 
that so impatiently beat in that hero breast !” 
said the stranger in low and reverent tones 
that broke the solemn stillness, laying his 
hand meanwhile, gently and sympathizingly, 
upon that of the old soldier. “And you, 
colonel — what was done for you after his 
death ?’' 

“ For me ?” replied the old man, starting as 
though from a deep dream — “ For me ? Oh, 
it mattered not what became of me after my 
protector was dead. No one at Stockholm 
knew of my claim or appointment. I was 
thankful and content when they gave me, at 
last, the position of warder in this watch- 


234 the iron head. 

tower. I have lived here many a long 
year, thinking often in times past of what 
might have been had my king been alive. 
But it matters not now, I am content! I 
have learned in this lonely tower, lads, to 
' look not at the things which are seen, but 
at the things which are not seen; for the 
things which are seen are temporal, but the 
things which are not seen are eternal! This 
prayer-book,” said the old man, laying his 
hand reverently upon the worn cover, “ I found 
in the king’s pocket after his death : it is a 
sacred relic to me. I would not exchange it, 
and the consciousness of the approval of my 
king, for riches or honor. Many a mortifi- 
cation and slight has been rendered the easier 
by their possession. And now, children, mid- 
night has long passed, the storm is hushed, 
the sea is calm, and I need you no longer. 
Leave me, my friends, and forget that you 
have this night witnessed an old man’s tears.” 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 235 

The young cadets rose at these words, for 
they saw that the warder would fain be alone 
with his thoughts and emotions. Silently 
and tenderly pressing his hand, they quietly 
withdrew. The stranger, bending toward 
the bowed head, whispered a few words 
gently in his ear. The old man started, 
but before he had recovered from his sur- 
prise the manly form had vanished in the 
darkness, and Richard Roos, restrained by 
duty, could not follow. 

Four or five weeks later, upon a clear, 
fresh morning. Colonel Sparre, Olav and his 
companions with bright and joyous faces 
again ascended the height that led to the 
tower. The old warder was seated musingly 
before his door, tranquilly enjoying the quiet 
morning hour His face brightened visibly 
at their approach, and, greeting them cor- 
dially, he called out in cheery tones : 

“ What has brought you up here, friends, 


236 THE IRON HEAD. 

at SO unusual an hour? Although no pro- 
phet or son of a prophet, I venture to predict 
that it is something pleasant, judging from 
your happy faces.” 

^'We bring with us the fruit of fidelity,” 
responded Colonel Sparre, “ although late in 
maturing. Take it, my old friend, and may 
it refresh your heart ! Colonel Roos, I have 
the honor of handing to you this commis- 
sion as lieutenant-colonel in the Swedish 
army, which for twenty years has been suf- 
fered to lie forgotten in the chancery of King 
Charles XII. Take it, my friend, the well- 
deserved reward of years of devotion.” 

“ My God !” cried the old man, white and 
trembling with emotion — My God ! I thank 
thee ! But no, it cannot be. Surely you 
would not jest, colonel, with an old soldier? 
Tell me, is it so, indeed? But I can no 
longer serve my Fatherland. I am old and 
weak.” 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 23/ 

“ His Highness, in view of this, my friend, 
has given you a pension,” said the colonel, 
taking at the same time a second paper from 
his pocket. “You draw from this day, 
Roos, your full salary as colonel until your 
death, with the privilege of fixing your resi- 
dence wherever you may choose.” 

“ ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul !’ ” exclaimed 
the old man, his blue eyes raised toward 
heaven, “‘and all that is within me bless his 
holy name ! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and 
forget not all his benefits ! Who redeemeth 
thy life from destruction, who crowneth thee 
with loving-kindness and tender mercies, who 
satisfieth thy mouth with good things so that 
thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The 
Lord executeth righteousness and judgment 
for all that are oppressed. Bless the Lord, 
O my soul !’ ” 

The colonel and his youthful companions 
stood reverently with uncovered heads while 


238 THE IRON HEAD. 

the old man poured forth his song of thanks- 
giving, deeply moved by his profound emo- 
tion. 

“ Who has interceded for a disabled old 
soldier, colonel ? Tell me his name, that I 
may thank him.” 

“ One who visited you upon that stormy 
night when your vigilance without a doubt 
saved the Torstenson from shipwreck,” replied 
the colonel. “ Do you not remember, my 
friend ? He learned for the first time by that 
beacon-fire of the great debt Sweden owed to 
you.” 

“ Who is he, colonel, who is he ?” 

“ The Duke Adolph Friedrich von Holstein^ 
a near kinsman of your king, Charles XII. 
Your fidelity touched him, your watchfulness 
preserved his life. He would show by some 
means his gratitude, and, lo ! this is the result. 
It is only your due, my dear old friend, and 
we rejoice with you most heartily.” 


THE LAST STRUGGLE. 239 

I feel deeply grateful,” said Colonel Roos, 
“for this most unexpected favor. Heaven 
bless him for his kindness to an old man ! 
Yet even this has been effected partly through 
the instrumentality of my beloved king, who 
has extended to me this favor even from be- 
yond the grave. Is it not so, colonel? Hea- 
ven bless Duke Adolph Friedrich, and — King 
Charles XH. of Sweden ! The peace of God 
and his grace rest upon his spirit ! And 
now let us join, my friends, in ascribing 
* unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, 
the only wise God, honor and glory for ever 
and ever.’ ” 

“Amen !” reverently responded Colonel 
Sparre, grasping warmly the hand of the 
agitated old man, while Olav and his young 
companions fervently responded. Amen ! 


THE END. 


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